Phil Simmons joins Papua New Guinea as ‘Specialist coach’ for T20 World Cup

With the mega cricket showdown T20 World Cup 2024 rapidly approaching, the various participating sides are in top gear as they accelerate their preparation for the marquee tournament. Papua New Guinea came forward to announce that former West Indies cricketer Phil Simmons will be joining the side as a specialist coach for the T20 World Cup. 

Simmons coached the Windies to a World Cup title in 2016, and his second stint with the Windies ended in 2022 after the side’s group-stage elimination from the tournament. He has worked extensively in franchise cricket since, coaching the Trinbago Knight Riders, LA Knight Riders, and Karachi Kings. As part of his duties as specialist coach of Papua New Guinea, Simmons will be supporting head coach, Tatenda Taibu. As per a release by PNG, the 61-year-old has been appointed to his role due to his extensive experience in the field. 

"My role here is as a consultant coach and [will be about] how I put across my experience, not just playing in World Cups but playing in the Caribbean and the things that we should be looking at to make sure we do it right in the Caribbean and especially the venues that we play at,” Simmons was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

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"As a player internationally, for fourteen years and then as an international coach for eighteen years, it's been a long time in the game. It's always brilliant to come home, always brilliant to come back to any part of the West Indies. You know how beautiful it is here. I'm looking forward to getting home, which is Trinidad,” he added. 

Papua New Guinea are rostered in Group C of the T20 World Cup 2024

It is worth noting that Papua New Guinea have drawn in Group C of the T20 World Cup 2024. The minnows will be facing the likes of Afghanistan, New Zealand, Uganda, and the West Indies.

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Notably, the side will begin their T20 World Cup campaign by taking on the hosts, the West Indies, in the second game of the tournament. Both sides will face off at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Sunday, June 2.