Mickey Arthur strong candidate for Pakistan head coach position

South African cricket legend Mickey Arthur is a strong contender to be appointed as the head coach for the Pakistan cricket team, Geo News reported Saturday.

Meanwhile, incumbent head coach Saqlain Mushtaq and bowling coach Shaun Tait may not be retained, according to sources.

The two coaches are assisting the team in the home series against New Zealand, which is expected to be their last assignment.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had appointed Mushtaq and Tait in February 2022 and issued a notification for their deputation for a year, according to which their tenure will end in February 2023.

Meanwhile, the National High-Performance Centre's batting coach Mohammad Yousuf, was deputed on a series-to-series basis. However, he accompanied the national team throughout the year as per Mushtaq's wish.

The PCB will soon initiate the process of appointing new batting, bowling and head coaches.

The newly appointed chairman of the PCB's management committee, Najam Sethi, has shared that the national squad will be coached by a foreigner.

Arthur has coached the national squad from 2016 to 2019 and Pakistan won the Champions Trophy in 2017 under him. Sources said that members of the management committee are also in favour of appointing Arthur

The posts of permanent coaches are lying vacant since Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younus stepped down from their roles after developing differences with the PCB management in 2019.

On February 9, 2022, former Australian fast bowler Tait was appointed as the bowling coach for one year, meanwhile Mushtaq was retained. A PCB statement to announce Tait's appointment said that Mushtaq will continue as head coach for another 12 months, while Mohammad Yousuf will be the batting coach for the Australia series.

PCB sacks 'selection committee, Governing Board members'

A day earlier, the cricket board's Management Committee informed the Governing Board members and heads of the selection committee including chief selector Muhammad Wasim about their termination, sources told Geo News.

Officials, privy to the development, said that PCB informed the officials that their position no longer exists after the termination of PCB's 2019 constitution.

Chief selector Muhammad Wasim was also informed about the termination of his position via e-mail. The women and junior selection committees would also be reconstituted.

The development came after the appointment of Najam Sethi as the PCB's management committee chairman.