DUBAI, April 30: Former West Indies all-rounder Vasbert Drakes has been appointed as new coach of the UAE team, the Emirates Cricket Board said.

Drakes will replace Pakistan’s Kabir Khan as coach.

“Kabir wanted to attend a Level-4 coaching course in Scotland and had stepped down,” said Mazhar Khan, the ECB administrator.

Drakes will take charge of the UAE team from May 10. He only has a few weeks to prepare the UAE for his first major assignment in charge, prestigious Asia Cup in June in Pakistan.

Drakes played 12 Tests and 34 ODIs for the West Indies.—Agencies