Former Pakistan coach and director Mickey Arthur had an interview with ESPN Cricinfo on Thursday, 1st of February. It was his first interview since his exit as the national team director. In this interview, a discussion was made by Mickey Arthur on Pakistan Cricket, their future and his final days in charge.
Before being recalled as the team director, Arthur served as Pakistan’s head coach from 2016 to 2019. Under his stint, the Green Team won the 2017 Champions Trophy, became the number one T20I side for three years and was the number one Test team for a few months. But shortly after the 2019 World Cup, the PCB decided against renewing Mickey’s contract.
Let’s look at what the former coach and director had to say for these past few months.
Mickey Arthur on Pakistan Cricket as its future
Following Pakistan’s poor 2023 World Cup performance, Mickey talked about how the management and the committee had planned for the national team’s upcoming future. He stated that after they departed from the tournament, the team returned to Lahore and planned the Australia and New Zealand tour.
PCB management committee head Zaka Ashraf wanted a review of the tournament and Arthur, the team manager Rehan ul Haq and the then-head coach Grant Bradburn gave their presentation regarding the performance.
“There was a recess and we were starting a camp two days later. I was still on the balcony organising with Usman Wahla what our logistics were going to be. And I wondered why there was such a break in this review. And then I got a little whisper in my ear that Zaka wanted to see me in a separate office in the museum at the HPC [High-Performance Centre]. I went in, he asked me a whole lot of questions and then he said, ‘Look, we’re going to remove the whole support staff and captain, basically, and that was it.'”
– Mickey Arthur on Zaka Ashraf revealing for removing the staff
Ashraf’s decision to remove the then-coaching staff, while also asking Babar Azam to step down as captain from all formats had ruined the vision and planning which was done by Arthur and his team.
Mohammad Hafeez, the former captain and all-rounder, was picked by Zaka as the new team director as well as head coach. Hafeez had no coaching or management experience but Zaka believed that Hafeez had “a lot of cricketing experience.” Zaka did respond to this matter while also raising an issue of Mickey, who himself was not physically present with the team most of the time.
“Hafeez was the team director like Mickey and had to manage things, which he did in a professional way. At critical situations during international tours, Mickey had to fly and he had refused to join Pakistan because of his contract with Derbyshire County. He was coaching online. I have all my respect for him, but how can you do coaching on Zoom?”
– Zaka Ashraf on Mickey Arthur’s dual stint issues
Mickey’s disappointment and his thoughts on Pakistan’s future
Arthur’s main issue was that he already had a deal with England’s domestic team Derbyshire for a stint of four years. His physical presence was questioned by media but he was with the national team throughout the World Cup run. He was ready to be with the team for the Australia and New Zealand tours since no England domestic season was scheduled at that time.
“The whole review was just a charade. I would have had a bit more respect for Zaka if he’d said it straight out. The way I realised the whole thing was a charade was Mohammad Hafeez was already sitting at the PCB offices and that’s why Zaka got into trouble because our meeting went on and on and on.”
– Mickey Arthur on Zaka Ashraf
Arthur and his team did not resign from their respective positions. Except for Morne Morkel, the bowling coach who resigned after the World Cup. But despite that, the PCB announced Adam Holliake and Umar Gul coming in as batting and bowling coaches under Hafeez. The tours of Australia and New Zealand ended terribly for Pakistan as they won only one game out of eight.
And the top story during that time was that Zaka Ashraf had left the PCB office. Khawar Shah is currently holding office at the moment as the PCB elections still haven’t been decided when to be conducted.
Interesting to Read: Shah Khawar named new Chairman of PCB
Mickey Arthur on Pakistan Cricket and his love for the team
Despite the recent episode with the PCB and their abrupt decisions, Mickey Arthur has a strong love for the Green Team. He said that he still follows PCT. But he feels disappointed that world-class players, for talented cricketers, are not given the support structure. He believes that their cricket is in a “disappointing place.”
Mickey recalls his time with the Pakistan team and their achievements. He ended the interview with a statement regarding how players who felt unsecured played for themselves rather than for the team had led to problems raised.
“When there’s security within the environment, Pakistan is very good. When there’s that insecurity, players start playing for themselves instead of the team because they’re thinking of the next tour and the next contract. That’s a dangerous place to be in, and that’s kind of where Pakistan cricket is now. And that’s very disappointing and sad for me.”
– Mickey Arthur concluding
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