New head coach Simmons rushed to Mirpur upon arrival in Dhaka

Phil Simmons, the interim head coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team, arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday (October 16). The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced his appointment as interim coach immediately after dismissing Chandika Hathurusingha on Tuesday evening.

BCB President Faruk Ahmed said, "We have appointed Phil Simmons as interim coach in light of the upcoming series against South Africa and Afghanistan, as well as the Champions Trophy. He will be in charge of the team until the Champions Trophy."

Simmons will be with the team for the Test series against South Africa starting on October 21. According to the BCB president, Simmons has a rich coaching career and has worked with various teams.

BCB president said, "He has coached the West Indies twice and has also worked in Pakistan and the USA. His experience will be important for us."

Simmons began his coaching career in 2004-05 as the coach of Zimbabwe. He has also coached teams like Ireland, Afghanistan, and the West Indies. Under his guidance, the West Indies won the T20 World Cup in 2016. Most recently, he served as the coach for Papua New Guinea in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

In addition to national teams, he has experience in franchise cricket, having held various roles in leagues such as Major League Cricket in the USA and the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Upon arriving in Bangladesh, Simmons wasted no time and headed to the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. There, he received a warm welcome from Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Liton Das. He also observed the practice sessions alongside BCB director Nazmul Abedin Fahim.