Karachi, Mar 5 Former Pakistan Test bowler Rashid Khan has been appointed the national coach of China until the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

The Chinese Cricket Association hired Rashid for the job after his successful two-year stint with their junior and women's teams.

Rashid got the nod from the Asian Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board for the extension of his contract after winning praise from the CCA and the Pakistan embassy for his efforts.

In 2006, Rashid, who played in four Tests and 29 one-day internationals, was appointed to train the Chinese cricketers in a move that was part of a joint effort by the ICC and the ACC to give a fillip to cricket in China.

"The ACC teamed up with the ICC to provide a special fund to build cricket infrastructure in China." Rashid said, adding he saw the potential for cricket in the country and more and more male and female students were showing interest for the sport.

"The base of talent will grow in the next year or so and there will be more tournaments at the school, college and university levels which will improve the standard of the sport in China," Rashid told PTI.

Rashid has now been given the task of getting first hand information on the efforts being taken by China to popularise cricket.

He said the CCA was now trying to expose their teams to international competitions. He urged member countries of the ACC to send more school and club level teams to China to speed up the process of widening the players' base in the country.

Rashid's main task will now be to prepare a team for the 2010 Asian Games in which cricket is expected to be one of the disciplines. (Agencies)