WEEK AHEAD: With the World Cup qualifiers taking place this week it means no Premier League fixtures, but that doesn’t stop the action coming thick and fast elsewhere.
The week gets underway on Monday in the Caribbean as West Indies host Sri Lanka in the first match of their two-test series, Sri Lanka suffered a comprehensive defeat in the preceding One Day series and will be hopeful they can come back from that. Tempers were frayed in the penultimate game between the two sides with a controversial obstruction dismissal and this looks set to be a great match-up, coverage of Day 2 will be live on Sky Sports from 08:00.
Tuesday brings with it more cricket action, this time from India as England begin their One Day series against the no.2 ranked side in the world and although the visitors are currently in the top spot they will have a tough fight on their hands as they found in the T20 series.
As April approaches the Masters excitement begins to build and players will be hopeful of hitting some form at the WGC-Dell Match Play event starting Wednesday, where 64 of the world’s top 69 players will play for honours in the star-studded tournament at Austin Country Club. All the action from every day’s play will be live on Sky Sports from 15:00.
The first of the football internationals headlines Wednesday also as Wales play visit to Belgium for their World Cup qualifier on Sky Sports at 19:45, the rest of the home nations continue on Thursday. Scotland play host to Austria, while England face up to San Marino (ITV), and Italy welcome Northern Ireland with all games live on Sky Sports at 19:45. Later in the evening there is more ODI action as New Zealand play Bangladesh in the second of their three-match series.
Friday brings us gently in to the weekend with another ODI between England and India in the morning, before Saturday sees the highly anticipated heavyweight boxing clash between Alexander Povetkin and Dillian Whyte with coverage starting at 18:00 on Sky Sports. Wales and Mexico round off the day’s action with their fixture at 20:00 on Sky Sports.
There’s another ODI between England and India on Sunday before more international football as England travel to Albania for their World Cup qualifier which can again be seen on ITV, while Northern Ireland welcome the USA for their international friendly and Israel face Scotland. Both games will be live on Sky Sports from 17:05 and 19:45 respectively. Completing the weeks action is the return of Formula One as Lewis Hamilton bids for another record-breaking season and will be hopeful of getting off to the best possible start in the Bahrain Grand Prix. The action from Bahrain can be seen on Sky Sports from 16:00.
There’s no shortage of replacements to the Premier League this week.
