Mickey Arthur previously coached Pakistan from 2016 to 2019.
Former captain Shahid Afridi is not convinced by Mickey Arthur’s appointment as online coach of Pakistan’s men’s team. He believes that Arthur must work at the grassroots level to provide the best training to the country’s emerging cricketers.
On Monday, January 30, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Mickey Arthur would be joining the team soon. According to media reports, the PCB may finalise the veteran coach’s contract in the coming weeks.
At the same time, it has been reported that, while Mickey Arthur will be coaching the team online for the time being, he is expected to join in person before the World Cup in India in October.
“The idea of a foreign coach coaching the national team online is beyond comprehension; every era has the captain’s personal likes and dislikes to sustain Pakistan cricket. To provide the best training to aspiring players, it will be necessary to work at the grassroots level “Cricket Pakistan quoted Afridi as saying.
Earlier, Sethi stated that the Pakistan men’s team urgently needed a foreign coach, and there was no better choice than Mickey Arthur. After the conclusion of the Men in Green’s home bilateral series against New Zealand earlier this month, spin legend Saqlain Mushtaq stepped down as head coach.
Notably, Mickey previously coached Pakistan from 2016 to 2019, and during his tenure, the Men in Green won their first and only Champions Trophy in 2017 by defeating archrivals India. Aside from that, Pakistan had won 11 consecutive T20I series under his leadership.
The Babar Azam-led side is currently on a three-month break from international cricket and will return to action on April 13 in Karachi against New Zealand in the first T20I.
