Photo Credit: ICC
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has named former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons as the new head coach of the national men’s cricket team. The 61-year-old, who has extensive international coaching experience, takes over from Chandika Hathurusinghe, who was reportedly suspended due to disciplinary issues.
According to a report, BCB President Faruque Ahmed said, “Hathurusingha has two counts of misconduct. The first involves an assault on a player, and the second is about taking too many leaves, more than what was stipulated in his contract.”
Simmons is expected to arrive in Dhaka on Wednesday to begin preparing the team for their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) series against South Africa, starting on October 21 in Mirpur.
Simmons has signed a short-term contract with the BCB, running until the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year. He brings a wealth of experience, having previously coached teams like Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan, and West Indies. His most notable achievement came in 2016, when he guided the West Indies to victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
BCB President Ahmed expressed confidence in Simmons, stating, “I have spoken with Phil Simmons and discussed his cricket philosophy and ideas. His extensive coaching experience, vision, and proven track record of success make him an ideal choice for this role.” He also confirmed the decision to part ways with Hathurusingha due to alleged misconduct.
Hathurusingha’s second term as Bangladesh’s head coach, which started in January 2023, delivered mixed results. While the team achieved a historic 2-0 Test series victory over Pakistan, they struggled in recent ICC events, including the Men’s ODI and T20 World Cups, and were whitewashed by India in both the Test (2-0) and T20I (3-0) series.
Currently, Bangladesh ranks seventh in the WTC standings with a point percentage of 34.38. Simmons will focus on improving the team’s performance in upcoming matches and helping them rise in the rankings.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
