KARACHI: A one-day international series between hosts Pakistan and the West Indies starting this weekend was called off Thursday because of a Covid-19 outbreak among the visitors, a joint press release said.

Five members of the West Indies cricket squad -- including three players -- tested positive for Covid on Thursday, in addition to four cases reported at the weekend.

"Taking into consideration both the teams' welfare as well as limited resources in the West Indies side for the ODIs, it has been agreed that the series... will be postponed and rescheduled for early June 2022," they said in a joint statement.

“Meanwhile, the Pakistan team members, all of whom have returned PCR negative after Wednesday’s tests, will also be leaving the Managed Event Environment after tonight’s third T20I.

“The CWI would like to thank the PCB for its excellent series arrangements and appreciates its support in rescheduling the ODI series in June 2022,” the statement said.