Daily Times

LAHORE: Afghanistan have roped in former Pakistan players Younus Khan and Umar Gul as batting and bowling coach, respectively, on short-term contracts. They are set to join the team in Abu Dhabi for a 15-day stint, working with an expanded squad of 25 at a training and preparatory camp. The Afghanistan Cricket Board had recently named Graham Thorpe as the national team’s full-time head coach, replacing Lance Klusener who stood down in November after a two-year tenure. Thorpe will only join the squad at the end of April in the UAE, where the team is based for now.

Younus, who retired from international cricket in 2017, took to coaching thereafter and was involved with the Pakistan senior men’s set-up as batting coach but resigned after only six months in mid-2021, having “mutually and amicably agreed [with the PCB] that it was time to move in different directions” as per a board official. Gul retired in October 2020 and took up a bowling-coach role with Pakistan Super League side Quetta Gladiators in January 2021. “It’s a great opportunity for me to work with the young Afghanistan bowlers,” Gul said. “It’s a short stint but I am looking forward to sharing my experiences and hoping to make a difference. They are a young and passionate cricketing nation and I am really excited to be a part of their development. It’s a new experience for me but it will be easy not only for me but also for the Afghan boys because I know their language and culture.” “The UAE camp is a great opportunity for the players to get adequate training in the relevant departments of the game and get fully prepared for the future competitions,” ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said in a statement. “Younus Khan and Umar Gul have rich experience of international cricket and I am sure they will help our boys overcome the concerns they have got in the batting and bowling departments.”