Washington [US], July 4 (ANI): Former West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been appointed as the head coach of the USA Women's senior and U19 teams, USA Cricket announced on Sunday.

The 47-year-old, who is based in Orlando, Florida in the United States, is currently the head coach of the Caribbean Premier League side Jamaica Tallawahs, and recently served as the batting consultant for the U19 West Indies men's team for the U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2022.

Chanderpaul's role begins immediately, with the USA Women's U19 team departing for the Caribbean on July 3 for the Cricket West Indies Under-19 Rising Stars T20 Championship, which will take place from July 5 to 13 in Trinidad and Trinbago.

A Windies legend, Chanderpaul's international career spanned more than 20 years. In 454 internationals, he scored a whopping 20,988 runs at an average of 45.72, which included 41 centuries and 125 half-centuries. He is also one of the only two West Indies batters to score more than 10,000 Test runs.

Chanderpaul's one-and-a-half-year contract will expire at the end of 2023. "I am excited to have been appointed as the Head Coach of the USA National Women's Team and Women's Under 19 Team," Chanderpaul said in an official statement released by USA Cricket.

"The Women's game is something I am a huge advocate of, and I have followed the progress of the USA Women's National team with keen interest," he said.

"I'm really looking forward to using my 20 years of international cricket and my recent coaching experiences, to help the women's teams progress to World Cups in years to come," Chanderpaul said.

"I've enjoyed being involved in American cricket over the years as a resident of Orlando, so to be given this opportunity to become the Head Coach for USA Cricket is an incredible one," he added.

"I'm really looking forward to using my 20 years of international cricket and my recent coaching experiences, to help the women's teams progress to World Cups in years to come, particularly the inaugural Under 19 Cricket World Cup in January," he said.

USA Cricket Operations Director Richard Done said the depth of experience Chanderpaul brings would be invaluable.

"We are thrilled to have attracted someone of Shivnarine Chanderpaul's calibre to work with both the Women's Senior and U19 Teams as Women's Head Coach, and lead them onto the global stage," Done said.

"We have an exciting crop of young cricketers, of which many are already making their mark at the senior level. Combining the two roles will provide coaching consistency across teams for those players as they develop," he added. (ANI)