UAE Appoints Former Pakistan All-Rounder Yasir Arafat as Bowling Coach Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has strengthened its coaching setup ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 by appointing former Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat as the team’s bowling coach.

This appointment is being regarded as a significant step for UAE cricket, aimed at making the bowling department more effective and structured during the World Cup.

Yasir Arafat represented Pakistan in the 2007 and 2012 T20 World Cups and is known for his experience, discipline, and professional approach in limited-overs cricket.

His coaching credentials were further enhanced when he became the first Pakistani cricketer to earn the ECB Level Four coaching qualification from Loughborough University, a notable milestone in high-performance coaching.

Yasir brings extensive experience working in various cricket systems. He has coached English county sides Sussex and Surrey, and was associated with Australia’s Big Bash League team Perth Scorchers. He has also served as a high-performance coach in Pakistan, a bowling coach for Hong Kong, and a bowling consultant for South Africa.

The UAE Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed Yasir Arafat’s appointment during the announcement of the World Cup squad, noting that “he will not only be part of the team during the World Cup campaign but will also play a key role in pre-tournament series preparations.”

The 43-year-old coach will work with the team during the two-match T20 International series against Ireland ahead of the World Cup to refine bowling strategies.

The 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, featuring 20 teams, will be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka, where UAE aims to achieve notable results with improved bowling tactics and performance under pressure.