Harare, Sep 7 (IANS): Ahead of the upcoming season of T10 set to begin in Zimbabwe, the franchises at the Zim Afro T10 have announced their head coaches for the upcoming tournament. The roster of coaches includes some stalwarts from the world of cricket such as Pakistan’s Moin Khan, Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas and Englishman Owais Shah.
The Durban Wolves have signed on the former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, who has not only coached the Pakistan national team but also has been a selector for the side. The former wicket-keeper batter has also been heavily involved in coaching in franchise cricket, as he has been leading the way for the Quetta Gladiators since 2016. With Moin Khan calling the shots, the Gladiators have made three finals since 2016 and won the Pakistan Super League once as well.
The NYS Lagos side has also made a big signing in terms of their head coach, as they have brought on the dynamic former Sri Lankan all-rounder Vaas. The left-arm pacer who was well known for his abilities with the ball, has worked with a whole host of national teams in various coaching capacities. Vaas, who has been coaching since 2012, has worked with national teams of New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Ireland.
The Bulawayo Braves Jaguars have appointed Owais Shah, who has worked not only with the UAE national team but also been at the helm of affairs at the Dambulla Viiking in the Lanka Premier League.
The Cape Town Samp Army have roped in the very experienced James Foster, who has coached in franchise cricket all around the world. Foster, who began his cricketing journey in England, has plied his trade in the IPL, the T20 Blast and the Bangladesh Premier League as well.
The Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers have brought in the Englishman Julian Wood, who is well known for his work with the big-hitting batters in the game. Wood, who has worked with multiple top talents from across the globe, has also had successful stints in the IPL with the Punjab Kings in 2022.
The Harare Bolts, meanwhile, have handed over the coaching responsibilities to Pubudu Dassanayake, the Sri Lankan coach, who has worked with the USA, Canadian and Nepal cricket teams as their head coach. Under his coaching, Canada was able to beat Ireland, a Test playing full-member in the pool stage of T20 WC 2024.
Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk, T Ten Global Sports Founder and Chairman, said, “The second season of the Zim Afro T10 promises to be a special one, and with the calibre of coaches present, I am sure plenty of Zimbabwean players will also benefit from this outing. There is a fair amount of brilliance in the mix, amongst the coaches, and we are confident that this will result in very closely fought games in Harare.”
The second season of the Zim Afro T10 is scheduled to be played in Harare and will kick off from September 21 and the final will be played on September 29.