West Indies hold India 2-2, Gill back for Punjab, Litton ruled out — cricket digest 18 Oct 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Sammy salutes West Indies’ momentum after 2-2 T20I finish in India

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said a 2-2 T20I result in India was a fair reflection of the series after the fifth match in Bengaluru was washed out. Sammy felt his side had gone toe-to-toe with the defending champions in conditions where West Indies had previously struggled, calling it a significant step after a T20 World Cup semi-final run and a home series win over Sri Lanka.

Sammy also linked on-field progress to the bigger picture of financial security for West Indies cricket, referencing CWI’s recent restructuring and the long-running impact of the post-1997 revenue model on smaller boards. India’s Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, pointed to Shai Hope’s influence across the series, with the West Indies captain producing two match-winning hundreds as the contest finished all square.

Springer earns maiden Test call-up as Paul withdraws from Bangladesh tour

Shamar Springer has been added to West Indies’ squad for the two-Test tour of Bangladesh, replacing fellow seam-bowling allrounder Keemo Paul, who will return home for personal and family reasons. The 28-year-old, capped in ODIs and T20Is but yet to debut in Tests, comes in after a strong recent first-class season with the bat for Barbados.

West Indies will also be without Shai Hope, who has been rested, and Alzarri Joseph, who has been withdrawn for workload-management reasons. The tour begins with a three-day warm-up in Dhaka from October 22 to 24, before Tests in Mirpur (Oct 28-Nov 1) and Sylhet (Nov 5-9).

Litton ruled out of UAE ODI tri-series; Bangladesh bring in Parvez Hossain Emon

Bangladesh captain Litton Das has been ruled out of the ODI tri-series in the UAE with a hip injury after an MRI revealed an issue and he failed to meet the required benchmark in a fitness test. Vice-captain Towhid Hridoy led the side in the opener against Zimbabwe, with Parvez Hossain Emon named as Litton’s replacement in the ODI squad.

Bangladesh also began the tournament without Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who missed the first match due to fever. Fast bowler Nahid Rana remains unavailable with a side strain, with the most recent update placing him in Perth for a check-up and a possible return later this month.

Gill makes himself available for Punjab’s Ranji clash with Chhattisgarh

Shubman Gill has been added late to Punjab’s squad for their second-round Ranji Trophy fixture against Chhattisgarh in New Chandigarh, with Uday Saharan continuing as captain. Gill is understood to want red-ball match practice ahead of India’s ODI tour of New Zealand in November, where he is set to play the first three ODIs before handing the captaincy to Shreyas Iyer for the two Tests that follow.

Punjab’s squad also includes Prabhsimran Singh, back after India A commitments, and Umesh Yadav, who returned to first-class cricket last week after more than two years. Gill is likely to bat at No. 4, which could mean Jashanpreet Sidhu makes way.

In brief

  • Brendan Taylor (81) and Craig Ervine (93) put on 150 as Zimbabwe made 271 for 8 before Brad Evans’ 4 for 45 helped bowl Bangladesh out for 172 in Abu Dhabi, sealing a 99-run win.
  • Zimbabwe head into their next UAE tri-series match against Afghanistan looking to end an eight-year ODI drought in the matchup, with Afghanistan holding a 20-10 overall record.
  • Kagiso Rabada’s return has boosted South Africa ahead of the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha, with both sides monitoring conditions and weather before naming XIs.
  • Pat Cummins said Australia won’t “change too much tactically” as they prepare for the Gqeberha Test against South Africa while dealing with uncertainty around conditions.
  • Rabada said he is staying focused on the present as he readies for his first Test in 12 months, returning with South Africa 1-0 down against Australia.
  • Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, with Pakistan handing debut to Baig and going with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf in the pace attack.
  • With the World Cup countdown in mind, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are still weighing combinations, with Pakistan drawing optimism from Babar Azam and Arafat Minhas while Sri Lanka continue their search for a settled XI.
  • Delhi Capitals appointed Chaminda Vaas as fast-bowling coach for IPL 2027, adding to a staff that already includes head coach Sourav Ganguly and assistant and batting coach Yuvraj Singh.
  • Mumbai Indians and head coach Mahela Jayawardene have parted ways ahead of the IPL 2027 auction after his two-season stint in the role.
  • Jake Fraser-McGurk blasted 122 off 63, including a 49-ball hundred, as South Australia made 397 for 7 and beat Queensland by 126 runs in the Australian domestic one-day competition, with Spencer Johnson taking 5 for 59.
  • Madhav Kaushik’s 150 steadied Uttar Pradesh after early trouble against Bihar in Rajgir, continuing his strong run of domestic form.
  • Allrounder J Suchith, now with Uttarakhand, spoke about wanting to retire without regrets as he continues his domestic journey after earlier years at Karnataka.
  • Pakistan’s President’s Trophy has featured an unusually strong international contingent this season, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel, with a rundown of how they fared on their first-class returns.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo