Sri Lanka appoints Aaqib Javed as fast-bowling coach

The appointment of former Pakistani pace bowler Aaqib Javed as the national team’s fast bowling coach was made public by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Saturday. The CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket, Ashley De Silva, stated, “We warmly welcome Aaqib and believe that his immense international experience, both in playing and coaching, will help our bowlers come into good shape ahead of the upcoming major international competitions, such as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.” He is currently the Pakistan Super League’s head coach of the Lahore Qalandars and director of cricket operations.

According to the board, Javed will return to his position with Sri Lankan cricket immediately and continue to serve there until the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies concludes in June 2024. He has participated in 22 test matches and 163 One-Day Internationals for Pakistan, amassing 236 international wickets. Javed was as a part of Pakistan’s World Cup-winning squad in 1992 and held various coaching positions for other national teams.

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He has previously worked as the Afghanistan national team’s development team’s coach and as the UAE national team’s coach. Under the guidance of the UAE coach, the squad qualified for the 2015 ICC Men’s 50 Over World Cup and was granted ODI and T20I eligibility. The group competed in the 2014 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers as well. In addition to leading the Pakistan U19 side to victory in the 2004 World Cup, the former pace bowler for Pakistan was also the bowling coach during Pakistan’s victory in the 2009 T20 World Cup in England.