An excited Yasir Shah hopes he can help Kent’s push for promotion during his four-match Championship stint.

The 31-year-old Pakistan leg-spinner only arrived in the UK early on Tuesday but the world’s top-ranked Test leg-spinner is set to go straight into the side for second-placed Kent’s Specsavers County Championship Division 2 clash with Durham at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, on Thursday.

Unbeaten Kent are seeking to make it five wins from six while Shah is also available for the trips to third-placed Worcestershire and leaders Nottinghamshire before returning to Kent to take on Northamptonshire at The County Ground, Beckenham on July 3-6.

He said: “This is my first time playing at Kent and first time in a county. I’m so excited for that.”

Shah claimed 10 wickets as Pakistan beat England at Lord’s last July and believes that experience will stand him in good stead at Kent.

He said: “I really enjoyed Test cricket here against England, obviously playing at Lord’s. I performed well.

“After that I’m very confident here with the Dukes ball. I was the best bowler of the series and I was very happy. I want to try and put in a good performance in county cricket here too.”

Kent sit 13 points behind Notts, though with a game in hand, while Durham are rooted to the foot of Division 2 with four losses and a draw from five games.

Shah doesn’t mind what surfaces he encounters in England, adding: “Skiddy or breaking pitches, both are good for me.

“I’ll try my best to take wickets and win matches. I’m coming here for Kent. I want promotion for this county and my performances here (can hopefully help).”

Yasir is the second fastest bowler of all-time to take 100 wickets in Test cricket, achieving the feat in just 17 matches and went top of the ICC Test bowler rankings after his performances last summer.

Yasir follows the capture of Adam Milne – set to arrive later this month after New Zealand’s ICC Champion’s Trophy campaign is over – and the early-season stint of South African Wayne Parnell at Kent this summer.

The 25-year-old Kiwi took three wickets in Tuesday’s loss to England and 2-9 in the rain-hit game against Australia last Friday. He is set to play a key part in the Spitfires’ NatWest T20 Blast campaign which begins on July 9.