Former West Indies player joins PNG team as 'Specialist Coach' for T20 World Cup

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Phil Simmons, renowned for coaching the West Indies to the 2016 T20 World Cup title, has taken on the role of 'specialist coach' for Papua New Guinea (PNG) ahead of the 2024 edition of the tournament set to take place in the USA and West Indies next month.

Simmons' tenure as West Indies coach ended after their early exit at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Since then, he has been involved in franchise cricket, coaching teams like Trinbago Knight Riders, LA Knight Riders, and Karachi Kings. 

In his new role, Simmons will support PNG's head coach Tatenda Taibu, the former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper. Cricket PNG highlighted Simmons' extensive experience in local conditions as a key factor for his recruitment.

"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 said.

"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.

PNG's team arrived in St Kitts last week after a four-day journey from Port Moresby. They are set to train and play unofficial warm-up matches before facing Oman and Namibia in official fixtures in Trinidad and Tobago next week. 

"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," he concluded.

PNG has been placed in Group C of the World Cup, starting their campaign against co-hosts West Indies in Guyana on June 2, followed by matches against Uganda, Afghanistan, and New Zealand.

Assad Vala will captain PNG in their second T20 World Cup appearance, aiming to improve since their winless campaign in 2021.

Papua New Guinea squad: Assadollah Vala (c), CJ Amini (vc), Alei Nao, Chad Soper, Hila Vare, Hiri Hiri, Jack Gardner, John Kariko, Kabua Vagi Morea, Kipling Doriga, Lega Siaka, Norman Vanua, Sema Kamea, Sese Bau, Tony Ura