The Bangladesh Cricket Board has suspended Chandika Hathurusinghe from his duties as head coach of the men’s national cricket team, with immediate effect. Such suspension was bound to happen after the disappointing tour of Bangladesh to India which saw the team face severe setbacks in both Tests and T20Is.

Phil Simmons Appointed As Interim Head Coach

Former West Indies cricketer Phil Simmons has been announced as the interim head coach after the suspension of Hathurusinghe. Before this, Simmons had also coached Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and West Indies, and he is going to lead the team till the 2025 Champions Trophy.

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Hathurusinghe Brief Tenure

Hathurusinghe’s exit marks an unsatisfactory end to his second stint as head coach, particularly marked by terrible performances for the team in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. He assumed office in January 2023 with high aspirations to lead Bangladesh cricket forward exactly like his first tenure from 2014 to 2017.

During his first tenure, the team indeed made incredible strides, particularly in white-ball games, winning lots of key titles, such as an automatic qualification for the 2019 ODI World Cup after an awesome show in the 2017 Champions Trophy.

Challenges Ahead For Simmons

Phil Simmons will face the team immediately in preparing for a two-match Test series at home against South Africa at the end of the month. Perhaps it is an experience and a leadership opportunity Bangladesh needs, given all the setbacks they have been facing of late and how soon they can once again look like contenders in the international arena.

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