West Indies head coach Phil Simmons will vacate his position after the upcoming Test series against Australia in the wake of the team’s T20 World Cup 2022 debacle, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said on Monday (October 23).

According to a CWI statement, Simmons would relinquish his post after overseeing West Indies’ two-Test series against Australia, slated to begin in Perth on November 30.

The announcement comes after West Indies were eliminated from the T20 World Cup 2022 in the qualifying rounds.

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The two-time T20 World Cup champions lost to Scotland in their opening match of the preliminary round but defeated Zimbabwe to maintain their Super 12 qualification chances. However, they were knocked out of the showpiece ICC tournament as a result of Ireland's emphatic victory over them.

In a statement released by the CWI, Simmons said that while the T20 World Cup campaign had been “disappointing and heart-wrenching,” he had already been considering his position for “some time”.

“This is not a knee-jerk reaction, but a move I have been considering for some time and 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,” said Simmons.

“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,” he added.

Simmons guided West Indies to T20 World Cup title victory in 2016 and returned as coach for a second stint in 2019.

CWI President Ricky Skerritt thanked Simmons for his contribution.

“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,” Skerritt said.

“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.”