West Indies fires head coach Phil Simmons just 6 months after guiding team to World T20 title

"Differences in culture and strategic approach" reason behind the decision

West Indies' coach Phil Simmons and India's cricket team head coach Anil Kumble (left). (AP)

 

 

ST. JOHN'S (Antigua): Phil Simmons has been fired as head coach of the West Indies, six months after guiding the team to the World T20 title.

The West Indies Cricket Board said "differences in culture and strategic approach" were behind the decision to terminate Simmons' contract after 18 months in charge.

Simmons was briefly suspended last September for questioning the country's selection policy, after Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard were omitted from West Indies' ODI squad for a series in Sri Lanka. Simmons was reinstated two months later after apologizing.

The WICB said it decided to separate from Simmons at a meeting of the board of directors on Saturday, "based on the public pronouncements of the coach and the approach internally."

Team manager Joel Garner and coaches Henderson Springer and Roddy Estwick will take charge of the team for its upcoming T20 matches against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.