KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket board axed coach Mickey Arthur on Wednesday after the team failed to get out of their group in a disappointing World Cup.
Arthur’s contract expired after last month’s World Cup, won by hosts England, and the South African had asked for a two-year extension.
But Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ehsan Mani said Arthur and his assistant coaches Grant Flower and Azhar Mahmood had all been shown the door.
Reports say Arthur has been shortlisted as the next England coach after Trevor Bayliss departs following the ongoing Ashes Test series.
“PCB will be immediately undertaking a robust recruitment process after it decided not to renew the contracts of head coach Arthur, bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, batting coach Grant Flower and trainer Grant Luden,” the board said in a statement.
Pakistan’s new coaching staff will be appointed after a four-member committee assesses the team’s performance at the World Cup, it said.
Pakistan lost heavily to arch-rivals India at the World Cup but finished with a record of five wins from nine matches, including one game that was rained off.
They scored 11 points were unlucky to be pipped to the semifinals by New Zealand — who also had 11 points — on net run-rate.
The PCB committee, which includes former captains Wasim Akram and Misbah-ul-Haq and which met on Friday, was unanimous in calling for new coaches.
“The committee comprised of individuals who possess tremendous acumen, experience and knowledge,” Mani said.
“The unanimous recommendation of the committee was that it was time for new leadership and a fresh approach.”
Pakistan dump coach Arthur after World Cup flop
Pakistan dump coach Arthur after World Cup flop
- New coaching staff will be appointed after a four-member committee assessment
- Arthur has been shortlisted as the next England coach, reports
Pakistan Navy seizes $3 million of narcotics in Arabian Sea under regional security patrol
- Official statement says the haul was made during an anti-narcotics operation conducted by PNS Yamama
- Seizure comes after a record haul of nearly $972 million was reported in the North Arabian Sea in October
KARACHI: Pakistan Navy said on Sunday a patrol vessel operating in the Arabian Sea had seized 1,500 kg of narcotics, the latest interdiction under a regional maritime security deployment aimed at curbing illicit activity along key shipping routes.
The operation took place under the Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP), a Pakistan-led initiative that deploys naval assets across the Arabian Sea and adjoining waters to deter smuggling, piracy and other non-traditional security threats.
The framework combines independent patrols with coordination involving regional and international partners.
“Pakistan Navy Ship Yamama, while deployed on Regional Maritime Security Patrol in the Arabian Sea, successfully conducted an anti-narcotics operation, leading to the seizure of 1,500 kilograms of hashish valued at approximately 3 million US dollars,” the Navy said.
The interdiction, it added, underscored the force’s “unwavering commitment to combating illicit activities and ensuring security in the maritime domain.”
Pakistan Navy said it routinely undertakes RMSP missions to safeguard national maritime interests through “robust vigilance and effective presence at sea,” and continues to play a proactive role in collaborative maritime-security efforts with other regional navies.
The seizure comes amid heightened counter-narcotics activity at sea.
In October, a Pakistani vessel seized a haul worth nearly $972 million in what authorities described as one of the largest drug seizures ever reported in the North Arabian Sea.
Last month, Pakistan Navy units operating under a Saudi Arabia-led multinational task force seized about 2,000 kg of methamphetamine, valued at roughly $130 million, highlighting the role of regional cooperation in disrupting trafficking networks.
