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CRICKET-WC-2019-AFG-WIS-SIMMONS
Simmons reveals tensions in Afghanistan World Cup camp
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, June 19, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Afghanistan’s World
Cup campaign was plunged further into crisis on Wednesday as coach Phil
Simmons promised to lift the lid on simmering tensions with chief selector
Dawlat Ahmadzai.
Ahmadzai has laid the blame for Afghanistan’s five defeats in as many
World Cup matches at the door of former West Indies all-rounder Simmons and
his coaching staff.
The former bowler has accused Simmons of failing to prepare the team
properly for their second appearance at the global showpiece event.
But now Simmons has promised to shine a light on troubles within the camp,
including revealing details of the controversial decision to replace Asghar
Afghan as captain less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
“I am in the middle of a World Cup and trying to get our team to perform
to the level we expect,” Simmons, who is standing down as Afghanistan coach
at the end of the tournament, wrote on Twitter.
“But at the end of the World Cup I will tell the Afghanistan people about
the part that Mr Dawlat Ahmadzai had to play in our preparation and his part
in the dismissal of #AsgharAfghan.”
Asghar was replaced as captain of the team in all three formats in April,
with Gulbadin Naib picked to skipper the side at the World Cup.
Afghanistan were hit by more off-field problems on Monday when some
members of their squad were involved in a late-night altercation that saw
police summoned to a restaurant in Manchester.
World Cup hosts England defeated them by 150 runs on Tuesday — inflicting
a fifth straight defeat at the tournament.
Rooted to the bottom of the 10-team table, Afghanistan next play India,
one of the title favourites, at Southampton on Saturday.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1950HRS