Former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur will be appointed national team director and consultant, PCB chief Najam Sethi said on Thursday. He will take responsibility before the T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah next month. The contract with Arthur for the role would be inked in the next few days and new team management will also be announced.
“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.
Arthur was the head coach of the Pakistan team between 2016 and 2019. He will continue working with Derbyshire and will travel with the Pakistan team when he is available from his Derbyshire duties.
Pakistan is set to lock horns with Afghanistan in Sharjah in late March, soon after the Pakistan Super League ends on March 19. Both teams will face each other in a three-match T20I series.
Sethi said the decision to bring Arthur was taken because of his past work in Pakistan cricket.
“He knows our cricket culture and set-up and is respected by the players,” Sethi said.
During Arthur’s tenure as head coach, there were controversies about his dislike for the Akmal brothers. He got into an argument with Umar Akmal at the high-performance centre, leading to an inquiry from the PCB.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat is said to have confirmed his availability to work as a bowling coach. However, 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 along with 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.
