New Delhi, 12 December (Hindustan Reporter). Karachi Kings have appointed former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons as their head coach ahead of the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) season. Simmons replaces former South African all-rounder Johan Botha, who led the Kings to second from bottom in PSL 2023 with three wins from 10 matches.
Simmons, who played 26 Tests and 143 ODIs for the West Indies from 1987 to 1999, has enjoyed an extensive coaching career, including several stints with the West Indies. He resigned as coach after the team's first round exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. He is currently the head coach of the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the LA Knight Riders in the Major League Cricket (MLC).
Simmons played one international match in Karachi during the 1987 World Cup and said in a statement that he was looking forward to returning to the city and working with Kings team director Haider Azhar.
Simmons said, returning to Karachi, a city I have loved since my playing days, feels like a homecoming. I am thrilled to join Haider Azhar and the rest of the team in a think tank inspired by the rich cricket heritage of this country.
He said, I am grateful to team owner Salman Iqbal, CEO Tariq Wasi and Karachi Kings management for this opportunity. We look forward to moving forward with the process of rebuilding and restarting Karachi Kings and establishing this franchise as a match-winning unit.
The Kings have won one title in 2020 in eight seasons of the PSL. They will be hoping that Simmons's appointment will rejuvenate their fortunes after their failure to make the tournament playoffs in both 2022 and 2023.
Simmons' first task will be to build the Kings' team during the Player Draft on Wednesday. The Kings currently have eight players: Shan Masood (captain), James Vince, Hasan Ali, Shoaib Malik, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Akhlaq and Muhammad Irfan Khan.
The 2024 season of the PSL is scheduled to run from February 13 to March 18.
Hindustan News / Sunil
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