Bangladesh coach Simmons urges players to exercise social media restraint

Bangladesh team's return home was far from pleasant following their 3-0 ODI series defeat to Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. Footage circulating on social media showed players being subjected to verbal abuse as they left the airport in Dhaka.

Batter Mohammad Naim later took to social media to describe the hostility he faced while leaving the terminal. Ahead of Bangladesh's opening ODI against the West Indies, head coach Phil Simmons addressed the issue, expressing his disapproval of players engaging on social media.

"I'm glad you brought it up because I, first of all, I don't agree with players having anything to do with social media," Simmons told reporters in Mirpur on Friday.

"It is your right as a person to be on social media, to say what you want on social media. But as an international player, as a national player for Bangladesh, my players should not be on there," he added. 

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The former West Indies all-rounder, who previously coached Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan and West Indies, also condemned the racial abuse directed at wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali Anik.

"But I would say one thing, it is not nice to bring racial tones into anything to do with players. I don't care where you're from, the racial part of it is what I am disgusted -- against Jaker Ali. That's not nice," the 62-year-old added.

"But to tell you, I don't want my players answering anything on social media."

At the end of the press conference, when journalists pointed out that a member of the coaching staff had introduced the racial angle around Jaker during the 2024 BPL, Simmons had to contend, saying: "You have a point."