After determining that the appointment of Australian great Mickey Arthur had become a “difficult” task, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday that it is looking for the “right person” to take over as head coach of the men’s team.
Najam Sethi, the newly appointed chairman of the PCB’s management committee, had hinted at hiring a foreign coach for the team since Pakistan’s current head and bowling coach Shaun Tait’s contracts expire on February 9.
When Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy in England, the great Australian coach was in charge. He is currently coaching Derbyshire County under a long-term contract.
The PCB confirmed in a statement that it was in talks with the former head coach of the national team and sought his services for several international events as reports were rife about appointing Arthur.
The board claimed that it had approached Arthur with the intention of appointing him as the team’s head coach for the ACC Asia Cup, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, and ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
However, the board stated that due to his lengthy contract with Derbyshire, it had also discussed the possibility of Derbyshire serving as a time-sharing consultant for the PCB.
The cricket board mentioned, “Unfortunately, however, this option is proving difficult to materialize for various reasons on both sides.”
The PCB stated that it would continue its search for the “right person” to fill the position of national team head coach given the circumstances. The board stated, without mentioning it, that some high-profile names are already being considered.
In the meantime, sources claim that interim chief selector Shahid Afridi has also recommended Umar Gul for the position of bowling coach, making him a strong contender to succeed Tait.
