Ackeem Auguste has been drafted into West Indies’ one-day set-up for the tour of Bangladesh later this month, stepping in for the injured Evin Lewis and edging a little closer to that long-talked-about international debut.
Head coach Daren Sammy, explaining the choice in a board release, said: “The selection of Ackeem reflects the pathway Cricket West Indies is creating for our emerging players who have shown the qualities to perform at the international level… He is a player for the future, one who has progressed from Under-15s to the senior level, and another Academy graduate to feature in an international squad this year.”
Key dates first, so everyone can stick them in the diary:
• ODIs: 18, 21 and 23 October, all in Dhaka
• T20Is: 27, 29 and 31 October, all in Chattogram
That’s six matches in 13 days – quick turnaround, humid conditions, and points still on the line for 2025-26 qualification tables.
The wider picture
Shamar Joseph and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie re-enter both white-ball squads after missing the recent Tests in India, Joseph through injury and Motie by workload management. Khary Pierre also returns, giving Sammy three orthodox slow options alongside Motie and the all-round skills of Roston Chase. Alick Athanaze, absent since December last year, slots back in as a batting all-rounder.
“The squad assembled will strive to maintain a winning mentality and strong team cohesion, essential components for long-term success ahead of the World Cup,” Sammy added. “Facing Bangladesh provides another opportunity to earn crucial points in our push for automatic qualification to the showpiece event.”
T20 shake-up
The shorter format sees two newer faces: left-arm seamer Ramon Simmonds and wicketkeeper-batter Amir Jangoo. Simmonds’ trajectory has been sharp – 13 wickets for Barbados Royals during CPL 2025, then four for 15 against Nepal in only his second T20I – and the selectors clearly feel now is the time to see if that form travels.
Jangoo is pencilled in as deputy to captain Shai Hope. He’s part of a small group – Motie, Keacy Carty, Sherfane Rutherford, Auguste and Jangoo himself – heading to the Chennai Super Kings Academy for a week of nets and scenario work before the first ODI. CWI’s director of cricket, Miles Bascombe, called it “a concerted effort to provide players with valuable exposure to subcontinent conditions in advance of the series”, noting the overlap with preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Squads in brief
ODI: Shai Hope (capt), Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Ackeem Auguste, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Alick Athanaze, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Keemo Paul, Keacy Carty.
T20I: Hope (capt & wk), Pooran, King, Rutherford, Jangoo (wk), Auguste, Shepherd, Holder, Simmonds, Motie, Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph, Paul, Chase, Carty.
(Official release sometimes lists them alphabetically; here they’ve been placed by likely role for quick reference.)
Small caveats
Travel fatigue can bite in Bangladesh’s October heat, even for players used to CPL double-headers. West Indies also arrive on the back of a testing year – heavy Test miles, two coaching camps, and the looming World Cup qualification cut-off. Keeping Joseph’s pace up and Motie’s fingers fresh will be as important as any tactical tweak.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, have been quietly difficult to shift in home ODIs, winning 12 of their last 16. The pitches usually suit slow bowling and cutters once the white ball ages; that partly explains Pierre’s recall and the faith in Chase as a holding option at first change.
What to watch
• Auguste’s temperament under lights at Mirpur – worked hard on strike-rotation in domestic Super50, but this is a step up.
• Simmonds’ left-arm angle against right-hand-heavy batting orders; early wickets there release pressure elsewhere.
• How Hope juggles two power hitters, Pooran and Rutherford, in the same XI without leaving the lower order too long.
Nothing flashy, no promises of overnight revolutions. Just a measured set of selections, a few calculated gambles, and a fortnight in conditions that can trip anyone up. If West Indies come home with three, maybe four wins, the World Cup path suddenly looks a little clearer.
