“I acknowledge that it’s not just the team that is hurting but the proud nations we represent as well,” Simmons said in a statement released by CWI on Monday night. “It’s disappointing and heart-wrenching but we just didn’t turn up. “We weren’t good enough and we now have to watch a tournament play out without our involvement. It’s unfathomable and for that, I deeply apologize to our fans and followers.”

Simmons’ second spell in the job started in October 2019, after an initial 18-month tenure in which he helped steer West Indies to the 2016 T20 World Cup, uniting a squad of big personalities and encouraging a pioneering batting approach focused on six-hitting.
The Test team’s results have gradually improved during that time, with series wins over England and Bangladesh earlier this year. But T20Is have been a different story and they have suffered early exits at the last two World Cups, losing four games out of five in 2021 and two out of three in Australia last week.

Simmons will remain in charge for the upcoming two-Test series against Australia, which starts on November 30 at Optus Stadium in Perth. He said that he would also participate in CWI’s postmortem into the World Cup exit. Simmons added that he had been considering his position before the tournament. “From a personal perspective this is not a knee-jerk reaction, but a move I have been considering for some time, he said. “Now is the time to make public that I will step down as West Indies head coach at the end of the Test series against Australia.

“It is earlier than hoped for, but I will now focus my energies in Australia on continuing to build on the excellent progress the Test team has made. Of course, as the president has pointed out, we will also carry out the necessary review of our World Cup campaign.
“I must say I have enjoyed aspects of the unique challenge that being West Indies head coach provides and the unwavering support of my management team. There remain some exceptional individuals within CWI who I firmly believe will continue to work in the best interests of West Indies cricket.”

Ricky Skerritt, the president of CWI, said: “On behalf of CWI, I want to thank Phil for his hard work and dedication to West Indies cricket, most recently in his role as head coach. Phil is a proud West Indian, with high ideals and has never lacked motivation in guiding our younger players on and off the field of play.

“He brought valuable experience and stability at a very important period of transformation, including the most challenging environment of the Covid-19 pandemic. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

The rested players have been brought back into the squad for the Caribbean tour. Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Tim Southee, Tom Latham, and Matt Henry are back in the New Zealand squad.

The T20 series between New Zealand and Windies will start on August 10. All matches will be played in Jamaica. After that, a three-match ODI series will be played in Barbados from August 18.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Darrell Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, and Tim Southee.

According to him, the Test format is not so much discussed in the country’s cricket system. That’s why most of the time in the test, the whole gallery is empty.

Shakib said, “It is not right to blame the players too much here. Don’t just blame the players. That’s the system in our country. ‘When do you see 30,000 spectators watching Test matches in Bangladesh or 25,000 people coming to the ground to watch the Test match?’

In every match of the recently concluded England-New Zealand Test series, a full gallery was seen. Citing that example, Shakib said, “In England, there are such spectators in every match (Test). The culture of testing has never existed in our country, it is not yet. â€?/p>

Seeing that there is no Test culture now, Shakib is not saying that it will never happen. It is our responsibility to change this. If everyone can plan and move forward, maybe something will be possible. Otherwise, it will not be possible to go very far. Because we don’t have a test culture. ‘

“It’s not that we value Test cricket too much. Yes, maybe we didn’t do well, that’s why there was no evaluation. But one has a relationship with the other. You have to associate one with the other. Only then is something good possible. â€?/div>