United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh cricket team’s head coach Phil Simmons will miss the second ODI against Sri Lanka on Saturday due to a scheduled medical visit to the United Kingdom. Bangladesh team’s manager Nafis Iqbal confirmed the development to the media. Simmons had originally planned the medical appointment back in February but postponed it due to Bangladesh's Champions Trophy commitments. He is expected to join the team on July 7th. BCB announces T20I squad for Sri Lanka series “This time, the appointment couldn’t be deferred,” Nafis said to the media. “He discussed it with the board before the tour.” In Simmons’ absence, Bangladesh will take the field under Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s leadership and with support from the rest of the coaching staff. Bangladesh trail the three-match series 0-1 after a 77-run defeat in the opener on Wednesday.

The newly appointed head coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team, Phil Simmons, has arrived in Dhaka for his first assignment with the Tigers—a two-Test home series against South Africa. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that they have signed Simmons for six months—until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place in Pakistan in February.  Simmons was named as Bangladesh’s new coach after the BCB issued a suspension notice to the previous coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, for his alleged involvement in an assault of a national team player, as the BCB president Faruque Ahmed said.  BCB appoints Phil Simmons as Head Coach of Bangladesh National Cricket team After the South Africa series at home, Bangladesh will play a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in the UAE. Then, they will travel to the West Indies for a full series consisting of Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.  Meanwhile, the South Africa cricket team also arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday morning. The first Test of the two-match series will begin on October 21 in Dhaka, while the second Test will be played in Chattogram from October 29th. 

The West Indies cricket team is now in Bangladesh. They will face the hosts in a three-match ODI and two-match Test series in the coming weeks. For this series, the West Indies board had to announce the squads with 12 regular players missing, who opted out citing concern over Covid-19. Phil Simmons, coach of West Indies, refused to criticise their decision.