Former WI all-rounder Phil Simmons announced as Papua New Guinea's 'specialist coach' ahead of T20 WC

Simmons entering the PNG coaching setup will provide the head coach Tatenda Taibu and the team the much-needed experience of playing in the West Indies conditions.

The PNG statement confirmed in a statement that Simmons was hired because of the experience he possesses of playing in the local conditions.

Simmons talked about his role and said, "My role here is as a consultant coach and 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, home which is Trinidad. Having people come here, me getting back here, its always a great thing, it's always something to look forward to," he concluded.

Simmons has had a fair share of experience in the managerial role. He has had two stints as the head coach of the West Indies team.

In his first spell, he helped West Indies to the 2016 T20 World Cup title triumph. His second stint began in October 2019 and ended in 2022 after West Indies crashed out of the tournament.

PNG have been placed in Group C of the World Cup alongside co-hosts West Indies, Uganda, Afghanistan and New Zealand.

They will open their campaign against co-hosts West Indies in Guyana on June 2. Simmons talked about the atmosphere within the team and said, "Their energy is unbelievable! Their warm ups alone yesterday, got me tired. The guys look like they have settled in really well. Yesterday in training we started to get out in the middle of their game so they started on some of the things they have to do here in the Caribbean and its nice to see the energy that's among this squad."

"I've known the head coach (Tatenda Taibu) 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, I like the liveliness in the team," he concluded.

Papua New Guinea squad for T20 WC: Assadollah Vala (c), Alei Nao, Chad Soper, CJ Amini, Hila Vare, Hiri Hiri, Jack Gardner, John Kariko, Kabua Vagi Morea, Kipling Doriga, Lega Siaka, Norman Vanua, Sema Kamea, Sese Bau, Tony Ura. (ANI)