KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to appoint former pacer Yasir Arafat as the high-performance coach ahead of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Arafat, who represented Pakistan in 27 international matches, will replace Australian coach Simon Helmot with Arafat after Pakistan's Test series Down Under.
He will travel to New Zealand's Auckland with the T20 team on January 3 for the team's T20I series against New Zealand which is slated to begin on January 12, while the last game of the series will played on January 21.
ESPN Cricinfo reported that Arafat has been appointed to the team for just one series at the moment. Helmot, it added, is still a part of the coaching staff for the ongoing Test series in Australia, but he later has "personal commitments", as per the PCB.
The cricket board will also apply for a New Zealand visa for three more players including two bowlers and one batter, as several players are unfit, the sources added.
As per the sources, the former all-rounder's appointment has been done on the recommendation of the team's director Mohammad Hafeez and Arafat has reached Islamabad from London.
Arafat was initially appointed as the Pakistan Under-19 bowling coach in South Africa and has played club cricket in New Zealand.
The former Pakistan athlete has played 27 international matches which include 13 T20 matches. He was also a part of the Green Shirts' squad that won the 2009 T20 World Cup. But he just played one match in the major tournament.
Remember, the Pakistan cricket team is currently in Australia to play a three-match Test series in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle which will conclude on January 7.
Just five days after the conclusion of the Test series, Pakistan is scheduled to play their first T20I match against New Zealand on January 12.
Pakistan’s squad:
Shaheen Afridi (c), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mojammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan.
Schedule of Pakistan’s 2024 tour to New Zealand
First match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 12 January, Auckland
Second match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 14 January, Hamilton
Third match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 17 January, Dunedin
Fourth match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 19 January, Christchurch
Fifth match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 21 January, Christchurch.
