Will Phil Simmons and Salahuddin stay until the 2027 World Cup? BCB plans long-term coaching strategy

Following the dismissal of Chandika Hathurusingha in mid-October last year, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed Phil Simmons as the interim head coach of the national team. 

Initially, the contract was set until the Champions Trophy, but after a disappointing group-stage exit, discussions have been ongoing about the future of his role.

Players like Naim Sheikh and Mushfiqur Rahim have already returned to Bangladesh, while Simmons, too, has gone back to his home country. 

This has led to growing questions about whether his time as Bangladesh’s national coach has come to an end.

However, in a meeting with the BCB board yesterday, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, a director at the BCB and head of cricket operations, revealed the board’s intention to retain Simmons. 

He shared that discussions will be held to secure Simmons as the full-time coach of the national team through to the 2027 One-Day World Cup.

The BCB also expressed satisfaction with the work of senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin. 

With both Simmons and Salahuddin performing well, the board wants to keep them both until the 2027 World Cup. Nazmul confirmed this following the board meeting.

“Our head coach and senior assistant coach’s contracts are set to end in mid-March. We are happy with their work,” said Nazmul Abedin. “We will contact them again soon. If things don’t work out, we may have to consider looking for alternatives. However, we are hopeful that we can reach a satisfactory conclusion with the current coaches after discussions.”

He also spoke about the plans for the future, mentioning that the BCB will try to offer a long-term contract. 

“We hope to keep them for a longer period, possibly until the 2027 World Cup,” he said. “We need a long-term plan for the team.”

In addition to securing long-term contracts, Nazmul emphasized the importance of keeping track of progress. 

He added, “We won’t just settle for a long-term contract; we’ll also be monitoring their progress regularly. We’ll keep an eye on how things are moving forward. We have already begun planning for the future, including deciding which players to keep and where we’ll play next.”

Nazmul expects to finalize talks with Simmons and Salahuddin soon. 

The BCB has also concluded discussions with spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed. Furthermore, the board is looking to hire a top-level fielding coach to improve the team’s fielding.

“We want to focus more on fielding. While we do have a domestic fielding coach, we feel we need someone of a higher standard,” Nazmul explained. 

“This coach will work not only with the national team but also with the HP and development squads. We are looking into bringing in two fielding coaches to help with this.”

The BCB is actively shaping its long-term coaching strategy, and it seems they are committed to securing the best possible support for their national cricket team, especially looking ahead to the 2027 World Cup.