Former Pakistan Cricketer Yasir Arafat Named South Africa’s Bowling Consultant
In a surprising development ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former Pakistan cricketer Yasir Arafat has been appointed as South Africa’s bowling consultant for the upcoming tri-nation ODI series featuring hosts Pakistan and New Zealand.
Arafat, who represented Pakistan in three Tests, 11 ODIs, and 13 T20Is, arrived in Lahore from London and has joined the Proteas’ training camp ahead of their opening match against New Zealand on February 10. His appointment comes on the back of his impressive coaching credentials, including being the first Pakistan Test cricketer to complete an ECB Level 4 coaching course at Loughborough University.
Arafat’s extensive coaching experience spans working with county teams such as Sussex and Surrey, and he has also been part of the coaching setup for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. In addition, he has served as Pakistan’s High-Performance Coach and has been the bowling coach for the Hong Kong national team.
Commenting on his new role, Yasir Arafat stated,
“It is a good opportunity for me to work with the South Africa team. I’ve been given the role because of my familiarity with the conditions here.”
While acknowledging the absence of some senior players due to commitments in T20 leagues and injuries, Arafat expressed confidence in the talent of South Africa’s younger players:
“Unavailability of experienced players makes a difference, but youngsters are also talented.”
The tri-nation ODI series, scheduled to run from February 8 to 14, will serve as a crucial preparatory event for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on February 19 in Karachi. In this series, Pakistan will face New Zealand in the opening match, while South Africa’s first game is set for February 10. The final of the tri-series will be played on February 14.
Stay tuned for more updates as the series unfolds and preparations for the Champions Trophy 2025 gather pace.
