If given a choice between playing an ODI at home or away, the Bangladesh cricket team, like most other teams in the world, would almost always prefer playing as the hosts.

But in international cricket, schedules are not shuffled around just to accommodate the preferences of a team. However, it probably bodes well for the Tigers that they will be taking on the West Indies in the Caribbean islands in their forthcoming three-match series, beginning with the first ODI in St Kitts on Sunday.

Playing away from home in a format where they have lost their mojo in recent times, with defeats in four of their last five ODI series, seems like a disadvantage. However, statistically speaking, the Tigers are actually better off taking on the West Indies in the Caribbean than in home conditions.

Bangladesh have the reputation of being a better side at home than abroad and stats show that this assumption is not without merit as their win percentage in home ODIs -- 45.22 percent -- is much better than their success rate as a touring team -- 26.03 percent.

However, there is always at least one exception to any rule and for the Tigers, playing ODIs against the West Indies seems to be just that as they are the only opponents against whom Bangladesh have a better win percentage while touring than as hosts.

West Indies are the only Test-playing nation against whom Bangladesh have a better win percentage while touring (50 percent) than as a host (45 percent) in ODIs. Bangladesh also have a better success rate against Afghanistan in abroad (66 percent) than at home (50 percent) in the 50-over format, but they are yet to play a match on Afghan soil.

Bangladesh have played 16 ODIs against the West Indies in the Caribbean islands, of which they have won eight lost eight. The Tigers have played 20 home ODIs against the same opponents, winning nine, losing 10 with one game ending in a no result.

Bangladesh have won the last four ODIs they have played in the Caribbean.

The Tigers have played three ODIs at the Warner Park in St Kitts, venue for the first ODI of the forthcoming series, winning two and losing one.

Bangladesh have so far played 20 ODIs at home against the Caribbean side, winning nine, losing 10 with one match ending as a no result.

But in the West Indies, Bangladesh have a 50-50 record against the hosts in one-dayers, with eight wins against eight losses in 16 encounters.

One may be prompted to write this off as three of those wins came against a second-string West Indies team back in 2009. However, one also has to consider the Tigers' recent ODI record in the Caribbean islands, as they have come out victorious in their last four 50-over games over there.

Bangladesh had clean swept the West Indies in three-match ODI series in Guyana in 2022 and also won the third ODI of the 2018 series at the Warner Park, the venue where the first ODI of the upcoming series will take place.

Now, the difference in Bangladesh's home and away record against the West Indies may seem minuscule, but at a time when everything is seemingly going wrong for the side in what used to be their most favoured format, any and every positive, however minuscule, is worth taking note of.