Former Pakistan captain and coach Misbah-ul-Haq sees the likely rehiring of Mickey Arthur by the PCB as “a slap on Pakistan cricket”.
Arthur is likely to come on board as the Pakistan men’s team director.
Misbah blamed former Pakistan players for damaging the credibility of the system and forcing the PCB, led at the moment by Najam Sethi, to look outside the country for top coaching roles.
The PCB’s talks with Arthur, who had coached Pakistan from 2016 to 2019, had stalled three weeks ago but have picked up considerable pace again.
The Pakistan job, should Arthur accept it, will run concurrently to his long-term deal with Derbyshire. Arthur does not want to leave the Derby job and both parties have worked out an agreement and schedule allowing him to fulfill both roles.
It will be an unusual arrangement for international cricket, in which Arthur will not be with the Pakistan team on every tour but will have a handpicked group of support staff running operations.
It’s a slap on our cricket system that we are not able to find a high-profile full-time coach,” Misbah told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s a shame that the best ones do not want to come and we insist on having someone who is looking at Pakistan as a second option.
“I blame our own system, which is vulnerable enough with so many weak lines for anyone to exploit it. We are to be blamed ourselves that we have disrespected and discredited our own people to make a bad image.
“Cricket is the most popular sport in the country but sadly never hits the headlines in the right way. It’s chaos; former cricketers ridiculing their fellow cricketers on national channels with fans getting the wrong sense. There is no empathy, no respect, and no conducive environment in the cricketing quarter of our country.” (ESPNcricinfo)