Mickey Arthur appointed Pakistan’s team director

Lahore: Mickey Arthur has been formally appointed as Pakistan men’s cricket team director with the aim of winning the ODI World Cup in India later this year. He will be available in a part-time capacity over the next ten months but will oversee the strategy remotely while he fulfils his responsibilities as head coach of Derbyshire.

“I am pleased that Mickey has formally re-joined the Pakistan men’s cricket team with an enhanced role in which he will be responsible for formulating and implementing strategies for the upcoming assignments across all formats,” said Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chief Najam Sethi.

“Furthermore, he will also be responsible for strengthening the national team culture and identifying and grooming future stars, so that we can strengthen our bench strength and strategically secure our future.

“Having lived and worked in Pakistan during his previous tenure, Mickey knows the current players, the structure, and the system at the back of his hand. I am sure he will incorporate learnings from the previous tenure so that he can have an even more successful second term.”

Arthur is only a year into his four-year contract with Derbyshire. His reluctance to leave that role meant the negotiations between PCB and Arthur have dragged on for a while.

He will be available for only one game in the Asia Cup (against India) and miss the series against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Arthur will be available for the ODI World Cup in October-November followed by away tour of Australia and home series against the West Indies.

Among other appointees that were already announced, PCB had hired Morne Morkel and Andrew Puttick as bowling and batting coach respectively, while the team’s former fielding coach Grant Bradburn is now the head coach. Assistant coach Abdul Rehman is the only native in this group who will co-ordinate Arthur’s remote working.

Arthur’s appointment follows a successful stint from 2016-2019, during which Pakistan became the World No 1 Test team and won the Champions Trophy in 2017.

However, his contract was not renewed after Pakistan failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup semi-final in England.

“They say Pakistan stays in your blood, it definitely does,” said Arthur. “I am emotionally attached to this team and this country.

“I am privileged to come back and hopefully win the World Cup and be number one in all forms of the game because we have certainly got the talent and the players to do that.”

Arthur played down concerns over directing the team online, saying he knows all the Pakistan players from his first tenure. “The talent in this dressing room is second to none,” said Arthur, who groomed current skipper Babar Azam in 2016.

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