Najam Sethi confirms approaching Mickey Arthur

KARACHI: Najam Sethi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, on Monday said that he has approached former Pakistan South African coach Mickey Arthur, requesting him to tell which coaches will be good for Pakistan.

“Yes, I have consulted him and have requested him to tell us which coaches will be good for Pakistan and what will be their availability,” Sethi told reporters here at the National Stadium.

“He will give us an answer very soon because he is serving a contract with Derbyshire. I think I will give you concrete information in a week or ten days of time,” he said.

“I had brought Arthur and he had a good stint as Pakistan coach as we won Champions Trophy under him. There was discipline in the team in his time and the players were seen really motivated under him. Babar Azam was also supported by him,” Sethi said.

Sethi said that the prime job of the PCB Management Committee is to restore the PCB Constitution of 2014.

“The committee has full authority to restore the 2014 Constitution and revive departmental and regional cricket structure. We want to do this job inside two months but there are so many problems and this may take time,” Sethi said. “When the task will be completed the committee will be dissolved and then the premier will send his two nominees to proceed the things further.”

Regarding Pakistan's participation in next year's 50-over World Cup in India, Sethi said that PCB would be taking directives from the government about it.

“We will obey whatever the government would suggest to us and we will seek the government’s advice when the time arrives, similar to the last time I was the chairman,” he said.

Responding to a question on Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Jay Shah’s statement that the 2023 Asia Cup will be held at a neutral venue as India cannot go to Pakistan Sethi said that he will have to go to the ACC first.

“I will have to go to the ACC first and seek input of other member nations also so that we could also not remain isolated. We have to play cricket and beat India also,” he said.

Sethi said that he quit as PCB chairman when the government changed, adding it was a good decision as every premier has the right to make his own team. “Although I had been told by some high-ups to stay,” he added.

He said if the government stops them from going to India for cricket they will not go, adding such kind of decisions are taken at the government level.

Asked that how he will be able to convince departments in his move towards restring departmental cricket Sethi said that he would try to convince them.

“I will try to convince them and I hope I have the government backing to convince them. So, let’s wait. I will meet all of them and will try to persuade them to come on board,” he said.

Sethi is also open for the development of women's cricket.

“When I was a chairman, I had proposed five academies for women and when I came back, I knew that nothing has been done on that front. I will try to revive that system and this time inshaAllah I hope I have the time to revive women cricket,” he said. “If we don’t recognize women, who are half of Pakistan, then what type of country we will make. I will give extraordinary support to the development of women sports and cricket in particular.”

Asked whether he would also opt for split in captaincy in three formats keeping in view managing the workload Sethi said he had not yet thought about that.

“Give me some time. We will form committees and they will give their recommendations and then we will deliberate on them and then you will get an answer. Currently I don’t have any answer,” he said.

Asked whether the grounds realities are such which could allow them to hold a PSL match in Quetta Sethi said: “Yes, its easy to talk and actually ground realities should be looked into.”

“I have talked to the Quetta Corps Commander and he told me that I am most welcome and whatever I will say they will do. The chief minister says that they can prepare stadium overnight. Now the thing is that we have constituted a committee and they are going there and top effort will be made to prepare the stadium. In the end decision will not be mine but it will be decided by the Balochistan government and their military administration. Let’s see at that time how I will be able to convince them and what will be the ground situation at that time,” Sethi explained.

He said that former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja will not be stopped from commentary.

“I make this statement. I have great respect for him. I know what kind of pressure was on him about me from the top, so that’s not his fault. Ramiz is a free man and if he is selected for commentary, we will not oppose it,” he said.

Sethi said that he has met with the former cricketers and they have given him good advices on various issues which he has noted.

Sethi said that Babar Azam is the star of Pakistan. “He is the star of Pakistan and make no mistake about it. If there is no Babar then Pakistan team will be without the son of the soil. He is in our hearts and he will remain there I can assure you about this. But I don’t take cricketing decision.

“I will appoint selectors, appoint directors domestic cricket and international cricket and then it will be their prerogative to appoint any captain,” Sethi said. He also hoped that in the two Test matches Pakistan and Babar would come through brilliantly.

Sethi was also not happy with the way wrong figures were posted on the PCB website ;pertaining to his previous stint as PCB chairman.

“Some wrong figures and facts were posted on the PCB website. I also had sent a legal notice to the PCB and will reveal the real situation when I will go back to Lahore,” Sethi said.