By Zainab Shafiq 
LA Knight Riders (LAKR) have announced Sunil Narine as their captain for the upcoming inaugural season of the Major League Cricket (MLC), set to commence on July 13 in the USA. Narine, along with his Kolkata Knight Riders teammate Andre Russell, joins a star-studded lineup at the Knight Riders franchise, which has also appointed Phil Simmons as their head coach for the MLC. LAKR will kick off their MLC campaign against the Texas Super Kings at the Grand Prairie Stadium.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Narine stated, “I’ve always expressed my desire to represent the Knight Riders wherever they play. We have long discussed the prospect of coming to the United States, and I am thrilled that it is finally happening. As the captain of this team, I am eagerly anticipating the challenge. We have a group of experienced players who I can learn from, so it will be an exciting time for all of us. We hope to see Knight Riders fans in America come out and support us, while also receiving cheers from fans around the world.”
The LAKR squad boasts an array of international talent, including Lockie Ferguson, Jason Roy, Rilee Rossouw, Martin Guptill, and Adam Zampa. Assisting Simmons in the coaching staff are Bharat Arun as the bowling coach, Ryan Ten Doeschate as the assistant coach, and AR Srikkanth as the team analyst. Arun also serves as the bowling coach for KKR in the IPL.
Simmons brings a wealth of coaching experience from his involvement in international cricket and various T20 leagues worldwide. He has previously held the position of head coach for the West Indies team on two occasions (2015-2016 and 2019-2022) and has also worked with the Zimbabwe (2004-2005), Ireland (2007-2015), and Afghanistan (2017-2019) teams.
In the T20 circuit, Simmons recently took charge as the coach of the Trinbago Knight Riders, the most successful team in the CPL, and guided them to victory. He also led the Barbados Royals (then Tridents) to the title in 2019. Additionally, Simmons led the Dubai Capitals to the playoffs in the inaugural edition of the ILT20 earlier this year.
With Narine at the helm and a strong coaching setup led by Simmons, the LA Knight Riders are poised for an exciting debut season in the Major League Cricket.
Also, see:
MLC 2023: List of captains for all teams
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