The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday that Yasir Arafat, a former all-rounder for Pakistan, has been named the team’s high-performance coach.
The 41-year-old Arafat will be in command when the Green Shirts embark on their New Zealand Tour, which includes a five-match T20I series in January.
Yasir Arafat, a former Test all-rounder, has been named Pakistan Cricket Team’s high-performance coach. In a brief press release, the PCB stated, “He will be a member of the team management for the upcoming five Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand planned from January 12 to 21, 2024 in New Zealand.
He became the first Test cricketer from Pakistan to finish his ECB Level 4 coaching degree at Loughborough University. Along with coaching Australia’s Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, he has also worked as a bowling coach for county teams like Sussex and Surrey. He most recently served as the national team’s bowling coach for Hong Kong.
Yasir has coached as well as played for a variety of T20 teams in league cricket across the world, including appearances for Canterbury and Otago in the local T20 league in New Zealand.
“To prepare for the tour, Yasir will be the camp commandant for the five-day camp in Lahore from December 29 to January 2,” the statement said.
Having competed in 27 international games, the former Pakistani athlete has
The three-match Test series between Pakistan and Australia is part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023–25 cycle, which will end on January 7.
Pakistan’s first Twenty20 International (T20I) match against New Zealand is set for January 12, just five days after the Test series ends.
Squad members for Pakistan are: Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mojammad Wasim Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Mojaheen Afridi (c).
The itinerary for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand in 2024
First game: January 12, Auckland, New Zealand vs. Pakistan
Second game: January 14, Hamilton, New Zealand vs. Pakistan
Third game: Australia versus. Pakistan, Dunedin, January 17.
Fourth game: January 19, Christchurch, New Zealand vs. Pakistan
Fifth game: January 21, Christchurch, New Zealand vs. Pakistan.
