Kabir Ali appointed Men’s Lead Bowling Coach
Lancashire Cricket is delighted to announce the appointment of Kabir Ali as the Club’s new Men’s Lead Bowling Coach, effective immediately. Kabir returns to Emirates Old Trafford, where he spent two seasons as a player between 2013 and 2014.
A right-arm fast bowler, Kabir enjoyed a distinguished playing career. Over 137 First-Class matches, he claimed 500 wickets at an average of 27, including 23 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket matches. In List A cricket he took 261 wickets at 24, and across T20 he added 82 wickets at 23. Internationally, Kabir represented England in one Test Match and 14 ODIs between 2003 and 2006.
At county level, he played for Worcestershire and Hampshire before making the move to Lancashire - playing 40 times for the red rose across two seasons - before retiring at the end of 2014.
In his coaching career since retirement, Kabir has developed a strong reputation working with pace bowlers across counties and franchise competitions, most notably during a three-season stint with Yorkshire from 2022 to 2024. He joins the Club from Warwickshire, where he has worked as women’s Lead Bowling Coach at Edgbaston since 2025.
Kabir has also held coaching positions across global franchise leagues, including at the Bangladesh Premier League, Abu Dhabi T10 and Afghanistan Premier League.
Speaking after his appointment as Men’s Lead Bowling Coach, Kabir Ali said: “I’m incredibly excited to be back at Lancashire in this new role. This is a Club with proud history and traditions, and I’m looking forward to working with the whole professional squad.
“It’s a great challenge to help shape our bowling group, and equally important to support the development of the next generation of fast bowlers coming through our pathway.
“I would like to thank Mark Chilton for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to working alongside Steven Croft, his coaching staff and a very talented group of players here at Emirates Old Trafford.”
Mark Chilton, Director of Cricket Performance at Lancashire Cricket, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Kabir back to Lancashire in what is a key appointment for the men’s programme.
“Kabir was the outstanding candidate - his playing record speaks for itself, and his coaching experience and clear vision for bowling development made him a perfect fit to join our staff.
“He will work across the entire professional squad, bringing fresh ideas and high-performance standards. Kabir will also have oversight on the progression of our pathway bowlers, linking in with Pathway Bowling Coach Danny Gilbert, as we continue to build a strong future for the Club.”
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