Former Pakistan fast-bowler Umar Gul has been appointed as the new bowling coach of the Afghanistan team, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Wednesday.

The contract starts with the series against Zimbabwe in June and runs till the end of the year.

Gul, who started his post-playing career with a coaching role with PSL franchise Quetta Gladiators earlier this year, was roped in by the ACB as its bowling consultant during training and preparation camp in the UAE in April. Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan served as the batting consultant in the same camp.

“Gul worked with the fast bowlers in our national line-up and considering his effectiveness in the camp as well as based on the need, it was decided to offer him a permanent contract as the national team’s bowling coach,” the board said in a statement.

Gul, 39, hung his boots in October 2020 after representing Pakistan in 47 Tests (163 wickets at 34.06), 130 ODIs (179 wickets at 29.34), and 60 T20Is (85 wickets at 16.97) between 2003 and 2016.

The Afghanistan team left for Zimbabwe on Wednesday afternoon for a series of three ODIs, part of the World Cup Super League, and three T20Is, all of which will be played between June 4 and 14 in Harare.