Arthur to be named Pakistan team director and consultant: PCB chief

Karachi, Feb 16 (PTI) Former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur will be appointed national team director and consultant before the T20 International series against Afghanistan in Sharjah next month, Board chief Najam Sethi said on Thursday.

PCB chief Sethi said a contract with Arthur would be inked in the next few days and a new team management will be announced.

Arthur, who has remained head coach of the Pakistan team between 2016 and 2019, will continue working with Derbyshire. He will travel with the Pakistan team when he is available from his Derbyshire duties.

“Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed is working with Arthur to finalise the names of the support staff that will work with the national team,” Sethi told reporters here.

He said all the support staff members would be announced with the consent of Arthur who had made recommendations for various positions.

Pakistan’s next international assignment is a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah in late March, soon after the Pakistan Super League ends on March 19.

Sethi said the decision to bring Arthur was taken because of his past work in Pakistan cricket and also since majority of the current pool of players have played under him.

“He knows out cricket culture and set-up and is respected by the players,” Sethi said.

Arthur’s tenure as head coach was not without controversies with his dislike for the Akmal brothers. He got into a much publicised argument with Umar Akmal at the high performance centre, leading to an inquiry from the PCB.

Pakistan’s former all-rounder Yasir Arafat who now lives in England is said to have confirmed his availability to work as bowling coach in the new support staff set-up but there was confusion over who will take over as head coach, assistant coach, batting coach and fielding coach.

Saqlain Mushtaq’s one-year contract as head coach ended earlier this month as did the contract of bowling coach Shaun Tait.

“As soon as things are finalised, I will ask Mickey to fly down to Pakistan for a meet so that we can get things moving forward,” Sethi said.