Professionalism of foreign coaches high quality: Najam Sethi

Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Najam Sethi recently revealed he valued foreign coaches because they were more professional.

Speaking at a press conference at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi, Sethi — who was accompanied by Team Director Mickey Arthur and PCB Director Domestic Haroon Rasheed — said: “It is my general experience that there is no issue of reference or culture in appointing them and they are goal-oriented. As we are playing with the top teams and coaches in the world. Our coaches are also top professionals.”

He further said he was a “bit partial” towards foreign coaches.

“I have worked with Mickey and I trust him. I remember how we had won the 2017 Champions Trophy,” adding that most of the team's current players — including Pakistan’s skipper — playing today had been trained under Arthur.

The defacto PCB head also added that the national side’s coaching team was complete as Morne Morkel would join after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

During the presser, Sethi also spoke about the Asia Cup controversy between India and Pakistan, saying that the Green Shirts would go to India to play the ICC Men’s One Day International World Cup only if the Men in Blue travelled to visit the country for the Asia Cup.

“We are told that India can consider playing in Pakistan when the Champions Trophy arrives here, so Asia Cup should be played at a neutral venue and Pakistan should go to India to play the World Cup,” Sethi shared.

Adding that there were no security issues in Pakistan, he added that since all other teams were coming, India too was welcome.

Then we will go there to play on a reciprocal basis, he said.

He reiterated the PCB’s stance on the matter and said: “We have adopted an opinion that Asia Cup matches will be held in Pakistan; whereas India’s matches can be played at a neutral venue as part of a hybrid system.

“If this experiment is successful, it can be carried out in the World Cup, until an agreement is reached between Pakistan and India for playing each other in both countries.”

Taking issue with the Board for Control of Cricket in India’s (BCCI’s) claims that its government had not allowed them to play in Pakistan, Sethi said: “Pakistan has always allowed its team to play in India. But I can’t say what will be the stance of the government when the World Cup arrives.

“But as of today, the stance is reciprocal. The people of Pakistan also want its team to play against India with honour, so these were the ongoing negotiations with ACC and we can also have a talk with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on this matter.”

Speaking to the press at the Pindi Stadium, Arthur termed the national side skipper Babar Azam “a wonderful talent” adding that there was still room for the skipper to “keep improving”.

He said: “I firmly believe that Babar is a wonderful talent and I still think he’s got room to keep improving and I will keep challenging him to get better and better because he’s going to be a legend of the game.”