NEW DELHI: SA20 franchise Paarl Royals on Wednesday named former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond as their new head coach for the upcoming 2024 season of the South African league.
Bond steps into the role previously held by JP Duminy, the former South African all-rounder, who is presently engaged with the national team.
Bond, a former New Zealand fast bowling sensation, brings an impressive array of credentials and passion for the game.
His illustrious career, both as a player and a coach across New Zealand's national team and multiple T20 franchises, has earned him the reputation of making the best players even better.
His tactical acumen, knowledge of the game and his ability to inspire and nurture emerging talent have been widely recognized in the cricketing community which have also reflected in the Kiwi pacer helping the Mumbai Indians franchise lift four titles in nine seasons in the IPL.
He was recently also roped in by Paarl Royals' sister franchise, Rajasthan Royals, in the dual role of assistant coach and fast bowling coach for the IPL.
Royals' Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, welcomed the 48-year-old for his debut season in the SA20.
"Apart from being a fierce competitor during his playing days, Shane (Bond) has also excelled in his various coaching roles across teams and leagues, and we are delighted to have him lead the coaching team at Paarl Royals.
"The inaugural season provided us with a lot of learnings after our semi-final finish, and we believe that his experience, commitment and vision align well with our goals for the upcoming season," Sangakkara said.
Bond shared his thoughts on the opportunity, saying, "It is a new challenge for me personally to be heading to the SA20, but what gives me the belief is the strong squad we have been able to assemble for the upcoming season.
"We have so much experience and immense potential in our ranks, which makes me excited to join the group in January and work towards achieving our target of lifting the trophy."
The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment