Phil Simmons joins PNG as 'expert mentor' for T20 World Cup
Cricket PNG said in a press release that he had been recruited because of his extensive experience of local conditions
Phil Simmons takes training • Cricket West Indies
Simmons' second stint as West Indies coach ended soon after their group-stage elimination at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and he has worked extensively in franchise cricket since, coaching Trinbago Knight Riders, LA Knight Riders and Karachi Kings. He will support head coach Tatenda Taibu, the former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper, and Cricket PNG said in a press release that he had been recruited because of his extensive experience of local conditions.
"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.
"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."
PNG
arrived in St Kitts at the end of last week after a four-day journey
from Port Moresby. They are due to train and play various unofficial
warm-up matches over the coming days before facing Oman and Namibia in
official warm-up fixtures in Trinidad and Tobago next week.
They
have been drawn in Group C of the World Cup itself. They will face
co-hosts West Indies in their opening match in Guyana on June 2, then
play Uganda four days later at the same venue. They will then travel
back to Trinidad to face Afghanistan on June 14 and New Zealand on June
17.
Simmons
said: "Their energy is unbelievable: their warm-up alone yesterday got
me tired. The guys look like they have settled in really well… I've
known the head coach for a long time and he's always energetic. There is
always a lot of energy, but the players seem to be pushing him where
that is not so, and I like that atmosphere in the team."
Batter Assad Vala will lead PNG, who will be playing their second T20 World Cup, after a winless campaign in 2021.
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