Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday let the cat out of the bag when it named Mickey Arthur of South Africa as new head coach of Pakistan cricket team. Arthur succeeded former captain Waqar Younis who resigned from the post last month after Pakistan’s disastrous Asia Cup and ICC World Twenty20 campaigns in Bangladesh and India. A spokesman for the PCB revealed yesterday that the 47-year-old would take over from Waqar in time for Pakistan’s England tour which begins in July. The spokesman said: “It is expected that Arthur will be able to join the PCB towards the end of this month. He has confirmed his acceptance of the post of head coach of the Pakistan national squad.” The PCB wanted to fill the post before Pakistan’s all-important tour of England, where they play four Tests, one Twenty20 and five one-day internationals.

Arthur’s appointment by Pakistan follows a process in which the former England coach Peter Moores and Australian Stuart Law were linked with the position. Following Waqar’s resignation as head coach last month, the PCB embarked upon a transparent process of inviting applications from potential candidates for the coveted position. A panel was appointed comprising former captains Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja to make recommendations to the PCB. The panel received and reviewed applications and forwarded four recommendations to the PCB to make a final decision. Following detailed consultations on this matter at the last Board of Governors’ meeting and further telephone consultations by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan with BoG members, discussions with Arthur were initiated and he confirmed his acceptance for the post.

Arthur’s first task will be to prepare his team for their upcoming tour and he is also faced with the difficult task of lifting his players from their lowest-ever world ranking of ninth in one-day cricket. The PCB has expressed faith in their new coach, saying he has an outstanding record and led South Africa to world number one rankings across all formats. Arthur had also coached South Africa and Australia previously. England will be up against a familiar opponent again this summer as Arthur has taken on England many times in his former guises. Arthur, who played 110 first-class matches in a South African domestic career lasting a decade and a half, has had a chequered past as an international coach. He tasted plenty of success with South Africa, helping them to their first series win in England in over 40 years, in 2008, and their maiden series victory in Australia in 2008-09, and leading them to the No. 1 ranking in Tests before resigning following a breakdown in his relationship with their captain Graeme Smith.

Australia won 10 of their 19 Tests under Arthur, but the team had an uneasy relationship with him, culminating in the infamous Homeworkgate episode on the tour of India in 2012-13. He was sacked from the role less than three weeks before the 2013 Ashes series in England. Since then, Arthur has coached a number of franchise sides including Jamaica Tallawahs (Caribbean Premier League), Dhaka Dynamites (Bangladesh Premier League) and most recently Karachi Kings during the inaugural Pakistan Super League in 2016.

The PCB’s budget for the head coach salary is reportedly $16,000 to $20,000 per month – much less than similar positions elsewhere. Foreign coaches balk at touring a country where international cricket has been suspended since an extremist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009. Coaching Pakistan, traditionally a fractious bunch of talented individuals, is one of the toughest jobs in international cricket. Waqar’s tenure was marred by his differences with Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi and indisciplined players Ahmad Shahzad and Umar Akmal. The job is further complicated by the relatively low pay and Pakistan’s security issues, while attempts to build relationships with volatile national players are often hampered by its high turnover. Pakistan has had four foreign coaches in the past: Richard Pybus (two tenures in 1999 and 2002-03), Bob Woolmer (2004-07), Geoff Lawson (2007-2008) and Dav Whatmore (2012-14).

Mickey Arthur’s career highlights

Played 110 first class games as a batsman in South Africa

As coach, led the South African national team to world number one rankings across all formats

Won 13 consecutive ODIs, equalling Australia’s world record

Served on the ICC Cricket Committee 2008 – 2010

Developed and led the implementation of a national high performance coaching framework for South Africa, leading to the rise of internationally successful talent.

Level 4 Coaching Certificate, South Africa

Karachi Kings, 2016

Dhaka Gladiators, 2015

Jamaica Tallawahs, 2014

Australian National Cricket Team, 2011 – 2013

South African National Cricket Team, 2005 – 2010