KARACHI: Pakistan are set to appoint experienced South African Mickey Arthur for a second stint as head coach, a top cricket board official said on Monday.
The 54-year-old will replace Saqlain Mushtaq, whose contract expires next month.
“I am in negotiations with Mickey personally and we have covered 90 percent of the issues,” Najam Sethi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s management committee, said.
“Hopefully, very soon we may give you the news that Mickey will be joining us,” he told a press conference in Lahore.
Sethi said Arthur will have his own team of support staff.
“I think the issues will be solved in the next two to three days and Mickey will come with support staff,” added Sethi.
Under Arthur’s tenure as head coach between 2016 and 2019, Pakistan won the Champions Trophy and became number one in the Twenty20 international rankings.
But his contract was not renewed after Pakistan failed to reach the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup.
Arthur is currently serving as head coach of Derbyshire in England on a three-year contract.
He has vast experience, having also coached his native South Africa, Australia and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan cricket is going through a number of changes after PCB chairman Ramiz Raja was removed last month.
Raja was replaced by a 14-member committee led by Sethi.
Former batsman Haroon Rasheed was also appointed as chief selector, replacing Shahid Afridi, who served on an interim basis for one month.
Mickey Arthur set to rejoin as Pakistan head coach
https://arab.news/45g9y
Mickey Arthur set to rejoin as Pakistan head coach
- 54-year-old will replace Saqlain Mushtaq whose contract expires next month
- PCB chief Najam Sethi says Arthur will have his own team of support staff
Pakistan U19 to open tri-series against Afghanistan on Saturday in Zimbabwe
- Pakistan enter the tournament as U19 Asia Cup champions after beating India by 191 runs in Dubai
- The tri-series is seen as key preparation for next month’s U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s under-19 cricket team will begin their tri-series campaign against Afghanistan on Saturday in Harare, using the tournament as a key preparation for next month’s ICC Men’s U19 World Cup co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Pakistan, the reigning ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup champions, are competing in the 50-over tri-series alongside Afghanistan and hosts Zimbabwe, with each team playing the others twice before the top two advance to the final on Jan. 6.
Pakistan won the eight-team Asia Cup in Dubai earlier this month, beating India by 191 runs in the final, and will play a minimum of four matches in the tri-series, starting at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
“The Asia Cup was a good win for us and the players showed great morale and intensity,” Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf said, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). “The tri-series is very important for the players and will help us find the right combinations ahead of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup.”
Pakistan will face Zimbabwe on Dec. 29 before meeting Afghanistan again on Jan. 2, followed by a second match against the hosts on Jan. 4. Matches will be played across venues in Harare, including Harare Sports Club, Prince Edward School and Sunrise Sports Club.
The tri-series is being seen as an important warm-up ahead of the U19 World Cup, which will be held from Jan. 15 to Feb. 6. Pakistan are placed in Group C and will play all their group-stage matches in Harare.
“The conditions here are similar and will be beneficial for our World Cup preparations,” Yousaf said. “Both teams in the tournament are strong and competitive and we respect every opposition as we look forward to a competitive event.”
Pakistan will open their World Cup campaign against England on Jan. 16, followed by matches against Scotland and Zimbabwe, with the Super Six stage beginning on Jan. 25 and the final scheduled for Feb. 6 at Harare Sports Club.
