Phil Simmons, former West Indies coach, has been appointed as the consultant of the Afghanistan Cricket team, the Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday.

“Phillip Simmons, the former West Indies National Cricket team player appointed as a consulting coach with Afghanistan National Cricket team.”

“Phillip Simmons, the Right handed Batsman and Right Arm Medium Pace Bowler, has mass experience in terms of Cricket coaching. He has been the head coach of West Indies, Zimbabwe, as well as Ireland,” the statement read.

Simmons was sacked by the WICB after the Test series loss against India last year. The home team lost the four-match Test series 2-0, with the fourth Test almost being fully washed out.

Simmons was also a part of the West Indies coaching staff that won the T20 World Cup in India last year. The 53-year-old former West Indies player played a total of 26 Tests and 143 ODIs in a career spanning 19 years.

Afghanistan is set to face Ireland in an ODI and T20I series at Greater Noida in March this year.