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I can't beg people to play for West Indies, says head coach Phil Simmons

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

West Indies," said the team's dejected chief coach Phil Simmons. The former opener expressed his disappointment even as the board struggles to home in on their best squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with most cricketers either playing franchise league elsewhere or out injured. "It hurts.

There's no other way to put it. But what can you do? I don't think that I should be begging people to play for their countries.

I think if you want to represent West Indies, you will make yourself available," Simmons was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "Life has changed, in that people have the opportunities to go different places and if they choose that over West Indies, that's just how it is," he added.

The list of absentees is long. Andre Russell hasn't made himself available for selection as the star all-rounder -- along with Sunil Narine -- is currently playing the Hundred.

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