National, 29 November 2023: Royals Sports Group-owned franchise Paarl Royals today announced the appointment of former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond as the new Head Coach for the 2024 season of South Africa’s incredible T20 league - the SA20. Bond replaces former South African all-rounder JP Duminy in the position, with the latter currently serving the national team.
Shane 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 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."
The newly appointed Head Coach Shane 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."
As is the case with all the franchises that come under the Royals' banner, the coaching staff led by Bond will be well supported and advised by Royals' Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara, along with the central data and analytics team through the season.
Paarl Royals would like to extend its gratitude to the departing JP Duminy for his contribution to the franchise in the inaugural season of the competition, and wish him the best for the future.
Click here to see how the Paarl Royals announced the appointment on Instagram.