SA20 franchise Paarl Royals on Wednesday announced the appointment of former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond as the new head coach for the 2024 season of the South African league. (Cricket News)
Bond replaces former South African all-rounder JP Duminy in the position, with the latter currently serving 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.
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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.
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"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."
