ST JOHN’S, Antigua – West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has apologised for the side’s disappointing performance that resulted in their shock exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia but said his decision to resign was not a knee-jerk reaction to that situation.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced Simmons’ resignation in a statement on Monday evening, saying that his last assignment would be the upcoming two-Test series against Australia from November 30 to December 12.
“From a personal perspective, this is not a knee-jerk reaction, but a move I have been considering for some time and now is the time to make public that I will step down as West Indies Head Coach at the end of the Test series against Australia,” Simmons said.
“It is earlier than hoped for, but I will now focus my energies in Australia on continuing to build on the excellent progress the Test team has made. Of course…we will also carry out the necessary review into our World Cup campaign.”
West Indies’ nine-wicket defeat to Ireland last Friday saw them eliminated from the main draw of the tournament. They had earlier been routed by Scotland in their first match.
Simmons, who was at the helm in 2016 when West Indies won their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title, said the regional side’s performances this time around were just not good enough.
“I acknowledge that it’s not just the team that is hurting but the proud nations we represent as well. It’s disappointing and heart-wrenching but we just didn’t turn up. We weren’t good enough and we now have to watch a tournament play out without our involvement. It’s unfathomable, and for that, I deeply apologise to our fans and followers,” the former West Indies allrounder said.
Of his time as head coach, Simmons said he had enjoyed “aspects of the unique challenge” and the unwavering support of his management team.
“There remain some exceptional individuals within CWI who I firmly believe will continue to work in the best interests of West Indies cricket,” he said.
CWI President Ricky Skerritt thanked Simmons for his hard work and dedication to West Indies cricket, most recently in his role as head coach.
“Phil is a proud West Indian with high ideals and has never lacked motivation in guiding our younger players on and off the field of play. He brought valuable experience and stability at a very important period of transformation, including the most challenging environment of the COVID-19 pandemic. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” he said.
Simmons was appointed West Indies coach after the 2015 World Cup but was suspended for a period and then fired despite leading the Caribbean side to the 2016 T20 title when they defeated England at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India. He was reappointed in October 2019.
There had been calls for him to resign following the West Indies’ dismal performances in several series.
During last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates West Indies also performed abysmally, losing four of five matches and not making it out of the group stages. Simmons quits with West Indies ranked eighth in Test cricket, above only Zimbabwe and Bangladesh; ninth in One-Day Internationals; and seventh in Twenty20 Internationals.
Skerritt has promised a probe into West Indies’ brief performance in the ongoing World Cup, a performance Australian great Ricky Ponting described as a “disgrace”. (CMC)
