Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) underwent a major administrative overhaul in December 2022, with Najam Sethi taking charge as chairman of the managing committee, replacing Ramiz Raja.
Ever since he has assumed the role, Sethi is keen on bringing back Mickey Arthur as head coach of the men's cricket team.
While PCB’s talks with Arthur had failed on multiple occasions, but board kept persisting and now it is reported that the board is close to finalizing a deal with him as a team director rather than a head coach.
Amid the turn of events, former Pakistan skipper and coach Misbah-Ul-Haq has opined that the likely re-hiring of Mickey Arthur is a "slap on Pakistan Cricket".
"It is a slap on our cricket system that we are not able to find a high-profile full-time coach," Misbah told ESPNcricinfo.
"It is a shame that the best ones do not want to come and we insist on having someone who is looking at Pakistan as a second option.
"I blame our own system, which is vulnerable enough with so many weak lines for anyone to exploit it. We are to be blamed ourselves that we have disrespected and discredited our own people to make a bad image. The present and former lot do not respect each other, with media and former players using their own YouTube channels for ratings, grossly hitting the credibility and value of our cricket which, as a result, gives an impression that we are not capable."
"The Pakistan cricket fan is always disgruntled; he is picking up things from the media and is under the wrong impression. Players speaking against each other with grudges and talking openly with disdain just devalues our community, and that becomes the common perception. Our cricket has been constantly under pressure with wavered and subjective opinions. The game is hardly a subject of objective and constructive discussion."
"Cricket is the most popular sport in the country but sadly never hits the headlines in the right way. It is chaos; former cricketers ridiculing their fellow cricketers on national channels with fans getting the wrong sense. There is no empathy, no respect, and no conducive environment in the cricketing quarter of our country," Misbah concluded.
Notably, Mickey Arthur was Pakistan’s head coach between 2016 and 2019. During his tenure, they won the 2017 Champions Trophy and also achieved the No. 1 position in the ICC T20I rankings.
However, Arthur lost his post after Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-final of the ODI World Cup 2019 in England and Wales. Subsequently, he went on to coach the Sri Lankan men’s cricket team and is currently associated with the Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
Since Arthur does not want to end his county stint, he will serve the Pakistan team in an unusual manner. The 54-year-old reportedly won’t be available in person with the Men in Green but he will handpick people to run the operations for him.
(With ANI Inputs)
