The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed former West Indies cricketer and coach Phil Simmons as the new interim head coach of the national team until the upcoming Champions Trophy. This decision follows the dismissal of Chandika Hathurusingha, who was let go due to allegations of misconduct and excessive time off.

In a press conference, BCB president Faruque Ahmed confirmed Simmons' appointment, stating, “Now this cannot be blamed on the coaches. Financially, they are very comfortable. In a short time, they can work for four months with their families. Therefore, we find that all coaches are not interested in working for long periods. Nonetheless, we have appointed a coach during this interim period, starting with the South Africa series.”

Simmons, who has previously served as head coach for the West Indies in two separate terms, brings a wealth of experience to the role. He has also been at the helm for teams like Zimbabwe and Ireland, as well as serving as Afghanistan's batting coach. His extensive work in various franchise leagues, including those in Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, adds to his qualifications.

Faruque emphasized Simmons' proven track record, saying, “He is a coach with a solid track record. He has worked in franchise cricket and is currently involved in Pakistan's league. We need to understand that this is still an interim period until the Champions Trophy, and our agreement is within that timeframe.”

Hathurusingha’s second stint with the Bangladesh team has now come to an end. After returning in 2023 with expectations of leading the team to greater heights in major tournaments, his tenure was plagued by disappointing results in recent World Cups and various controversies. His name was frequently associated with off-field issues, which ultimately led to his premature exit.

Faruque further elaborated on the challenges of finding a suitable replacement on short notice, stating, “You know I went to Pakistan to play, then went to India. As soon as I returned, this process started. There isn’t much time as another series is starting. I had to do all the work while searching for a coach. I spoke to 3-4 coaches, but it wasn’t easy to find one. We really tried to appoint the best possible option.” He added, “When a superstar is a coach, you have to consider how much heart they put into the work. Therefore, we did not go for such a superstar coach.”

Simmons will officially start his role during the upcoming South Africa series, marking a significant transition for the Bangladesh cricket team. This series will be followed by a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Dubai, and then the team will travel to the West Indies for a full series that includes Tests, ODIs, and T20s. The culmination of this busy schedule will be the highly anticipated Champions Trophy, where Simmons will aim to guide the team to success.