Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan has dismissed suggestions that it has made a mistake by hiring South African Mickey Arthur, who had levelled match fixing allegations against the Pakistani players some years back, as head coach of the national team.
“Look Mickey Arthur has already clarified to us about that statement he made some years ago. So it is a dead issue now. He was coach with the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League, so he knows the players well. He should be successful in his assignment,” Khan told the Express newspaper.
Arthur had clarified his position after the PCB sent him a three-page legal notice in November 2009 for stating in his biography that he suspected the one-day international match between Pakistan and South in Lahore in 2007 was fixed.
Arthur was the coach of the South African team on that tour to Pakistan.
He later denied saying that the ODI in 2007 was fixed and added his comments were taken out of context.
“There is absolutely no foundation to this story whatsoever. Quite simply, my comments were taken completely out of context and I have never accused anybody of anything illegal,” Arthur had said in statement in 2009.
Shaharyar said Arthur had worked in the subcontinent and should be able to settle down in Pakistan cricket.
“The past is past. We now must look ahead and hope for good results. What Arthur said some years ago is no longer a problem or issue now,” said the PCB chief.
Shaharyar also confirmed that former Test captain Intikhab Alam would continue to serve as manager of the Pakistan team on the tour to England this summer.
“We see no reason to change the manager for this important tour. Intikhab has done a good job and is a very experienced manager. We will need someone like him on what is an important tour for us,” said Shaharyar.
He pointed out that Pakistan was going to England for a full tour for the first time since 2010 spot-fixing scandal.
“We think Intikhab is the right man for the job for this tour as we don’t want any controversies on this tour. We will be taking steps to ensure everything goes smoothly.”
Intikhab gave a damning report about the national team captain Shahid Afridi and some other players after the poor results in the Asia Cup and World T20, which eventually led to head coach Waqar Younis and Afridi resigning last month.
The PCB chief also confirmed that the national team’s batting coach Grant Flower and fielding coach Grant Ludon would also continue on the support staff for the England tour.
“But when Mickey Arthur joins the team and if he suggests any changes in the support staff then definitely we will have to give his suggestions consideration,” he added.
