Bangladesh rope in Umar Gul as bowling coach for T20I series against Pakistan

Former Pakistan pacer Umar Gul is all set to take over as Bangladesh’s bowling coach. He will begin his new role during Bangladesh’s five-match T20I series against Pakistan in May.

The 42-year-old has been offered a three-month contract by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The aim is to help improve the team’s fast bowling department, especially with young talents coming through.

Gul confirmed the news to a cricketing website, saying talks are ongoing about the final contract details. “It’s an exciting offer, and I look forward to it,” he said.

Although the initial deal is for three months, it could be extended until the 2027 World Cup depending on how both sides feel after the Pakistan tour.

Gul was one of Pakistan’s top bowlers in his playing days. He took 163 wickets in Tests, 179 in ODIs, and 85 in T20Is. His most memorable performance came in the 2009 T20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, where he picked up five important wickets. He was also part of Pakistan’s title-winning squad that year.

In recent years, he has worked as a bowling coach for the national teams of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also held the same role for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Bangladesh has a number of talented fast bowlers, including Naheed Rana, who regularly clocks 150 kph. Others like Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Shakib, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Khalid Hasan are also expected to benefit from Gul’s experience.

The upcoming series in Pakistan was originally set to include three ODIs and three T20Is as part of the Future Tours Programme. However, both boards agreed to change the format to five T20Is to better prepare for the Asia Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026.