Phil Simmons to be as a specialist coach for Papua New Guinea in the 2024 T20 World Cup
Cricket veteran Phil Simmons, who guided the West Indies to victory in the 2016 T20 World Cup as their head coach, has been recruited by Papua New Guinea as a specialist coach for the upcoming edition of the tournament starting in June.
After leaving the West Indies coaching role following their 2022 T20 World Cup disappointment, Simmons has been busy in franchise cricket, leading teams like Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premiere League (CPL), LA Knight Riders (LAKR) in the Major League Cricket (MLC), and most recently, Karachi Kings (KK) in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Simmons has said that he will support the head coach of the West Indian cricket team, Tatenda Taibu.
Cricket PNG in a press release has stated that Simmons has been recruited due to his extensive experience and knowledge of the West Indian playing conditions.
Also Read: Papua New Guinea Announces their Squad for the T20 World Cup 2024
Simmons added that his role in the team as a consultant coach will be about how he puts across his experience of not just playing in the World Cups but playing in the Caribbean.
He added that he has played for fourteen years and then coached for eighteen years and it has given him a lot of perspective of the game.
Simmons also said that it is brilliant to come home to any part of the West Indies as it is beautiful and he is looking forward to getting home in Trinidad.
PNG arrived in St Kitts last week after traveling for four days from Port Moresby. PNG has opted to play more unofficial warm-up matches before they even play the warm-up games scheduled against Oman and Namibia.
It should be noted that PNG is grouped with the West Indies, Uganda, Afghanistan, and New Zealand in Group C.
They will play their first match against the co-hosts West Indies in Guyana on June 2.
Assad Vala will captain the PNG side in their 2nd T20 World Cup journey. They first played a T20 World Cup in 2021 without a single win.
The ICC T20 World Cup is set to start on June 1st with the first match scheduled between Canada and the co-hosts USA.
