32 Facts About Phil Simmons

Philip Verant Simmons was born on 18 April 1963 and is a Trinidadian cricket coach and former player who is currently a coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team.

Phil Simmons played international cricket for the West Indies from 1987 to 1999 as an opening batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler.

Phil Simmons excelled in the One Day International format and represented the West Indies at three World Cups.

Phil Simmons has spent stints in charge of Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Afghanistan.

Phil Simmons lived just two doors down from Larry Gomes, a former West Indian batsman.

Phil Simmons proved to be adept at a number of sports, but excelled at cricket and was playing for the regional side East Zone.

Phil Simmons made the leap to represent Trinidad and Tobago in 1983 with the help and encouragement of Rohan Kanhai, the coach at East Zone.

At the domestic level, Phil Simmons featured for Trinidad and Tobago, English sides Durham and Leicestershire, along with South African clubs Border and Easterns.

Phil Simmons went on to accumulate 1,244 runs with 56 wickets and 35 catches, helping his side to win the County Championship for only the second time in their history.

Phil Simmons won the PCA Player of the Year award in 1996.

Phil Simmons was thereafter named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997.

Phil Simmons later helped Leicestershire to win another County Championship title in 1998.

Phil Simmons eventually scored 11,682 runs at an average of 35.61 with 24 hundreds and 65 half centuries as well as 214 wickets picked up at an average of 28.68 with a sum of five 5-wicket hauls in his first-class career.

Phil Simmons's heart stopped and he required emergency surgery at Frenchay Hospital, from which he recovered fully.

Phil Simmons proved more adept at the international one day game, playing a total of 143 ODI matches between 1987 and 1999.

In December 1992, during the eighth match of the World Series Cup in Australia, Phil Simmons won the Man of the Match award for his match-winning spell of 10 overs, 8 maidens, 3 runs, 4 wickets, with an economy of 0.30, against Pakistan.

Phil Simmons was recalled prior to the 1999 edition, where he played four matches, including his final ODI match, against Australia in Manchester.

Phil Simmons then embarked on a coaching career, firstly working at Zimbabwe's Harare-based academy.

Phil Simmons found himself having to defend Zimbabwe's Test status in the midst of a losing streak, which included losses to Bangladesh and New Zealand.

Phil Simmons was eventually dismissed by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union in August 2005.

Phil Simmons then succeeded Adrian Birrell as coach of the Ireland national cricket team after the 2007 World Cup.

Phil Simmons steered them to victories over England at the 2011 World Cup, along with the West Indies and Zimbabwe at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

Phil Simmons was at the helm with Ireland for over 224 matches, making him the longest serving coach in international matches.

WICB chief executive Michael Muirhead said of his signing, "Phil Simmons has a proven ability to develop players, while cultivating great team spirit and a winning culture, we have a number of young, talented players about whom he is excited to be coaching and we believe he is the right fit".

Phil Simmons was the batting coach for Afghanistan national cricket team and later on was appointed as the head coach in 2017.

Phil Simmons resigned after the 2022 t20 World Cup in Australia but coached the team until the conclusion of the recently ended test tour of Australia.

Phil Simmons was hired "as a consultant coach" for the tournament as it was to be held in the Caribbean.

On 15 October 2024, Phil Simmons was appointed as the coach of the Bangladesh men's national cricket team.

Phil Simmons was given a short-term contract that extends until the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

Phil Simmons replaced Chandika Hathurusingha, who had been suspended due to disciplinary issues.

Phil Simmons is a fan of English football club Tottenham Hotspur.

Phil Simmons's nephew Lendl Simmons is a cricketer who has featured for the West Indies.