Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons has said the desire to play in the ICC World Test Championship 2025/27 final (WTC) is driving his team ahead of the Test series against West Indies, which begins on 28 October in Mirpur.

Bangladesh are presently placed fourth in the ICC WTC standings, with a point percentage of 55.56.

“I think there’s that goal and that desire to play in the World Test Championship [Final]," Simmons spoke ahead of the first Test of the series. 

After a series loss against Sri Lanka to start the current cycle of the WTC, Bangladesh bounced back to defeat Pakistan 2-0 before securing a historic win in a drawn series in Australia. Two homes series including the one against West Indies, and an away tour of South Africa ensure that Bangladesh are still in with a chance to appear in the final.

"And this is the first time we’ve had that opportunity to be there. So I think everyone is going to be up and ready for the Test matches."

Bangladesh's last Test assignment was a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.

Bangladesh won the toss, took a healthy first-innings lead and then declared in their second innings to leave Afghanistan a testing target of 479.

Afghanistan however, showed magnificent fight in the final innings and managed a draw.

Simmons believes Bangladesh should have beaten Afghanistan, but he rejected any suggestion that his players misread the situation, especially with respect to how Bangladesh batters paced themselves in the second innings.

“I don’t think it was a case where they didn’t respond to the match situation. I think that they played it exactly how we wanted to play it," he said

"The wicket got better than we thought it would. We missed a run-out; we dropped a few catches. So, at the end of the day, we should have won the match, but I don’t think we played it in the wrong way,” he added.

A former all-rounder for the West Indies, Simmons has also coached the side in the past, including their famous 2-0 Test series triumph from 2021. In the opening Test of that series, Kyle Mayers hit a double ton as the tourists chased down a target of 395.

Simmons recalled his past tours to Bangladesh as an opposition coach fondly but added that he was fully committed as Bangladesh's coach to help his side win. 

“I have very good memories and pleasant memories of that tour. I was the leader of the winning side, and hopefully I’ll have the same memories here, being the winner of the winning side,” Simmons said.

“I’m not that emotional to say, well look, oh it’s West Indies. When they’re playing someone else, I’m on their side. When I’m playing against them, I still want to win the series.”

Series Schedule

First Test, 28 October to 1 November, Mirpur

Second Test, 5 to 9 November, Sylhet