AFP/Lahore


Pakistan yesterday appointed South African Mickey Arthur as head coach of their national cricket team, replacing Waqar Younis who resigned after a disastrous World Twenty20 last month.
Arthur “has confirmed his acceptance of the post of Head Coach of the Pakistan National Cricket team” after a “detailed and transparent process”, the PCB said in a statement.
“The modalities vis-à-vis his contract are being finalised. It is expected that Arthur will be able to join the PCB toward the end of this month,” the statement continued.
Arthur, who turns 48 later this month, successfully coached his native South Africa from 2005-2010 before migrating to Australia, where he remained coach for 19 months.
But he found his job in danger after Australia lost a Test series in India followed by a poor showing at the Champions Trophy in England, and was sacked just before the 2013 Ashes.
Arthur’s first task will be to prepare his team for their upcoming tour of England, where Pakistan plays four Tests, a Twenty20 and five one-day internationals.
He is faced with the difficult task of lifting his players from their lowest-ever world ranking of ninth in one-day cricket.  
But the PCB expressed faith in their new coach, saying he has an outstanding record and led South Africa to world number one rankings across all formats.  
Under him South Africa won 13 consecutive one-day matches, equalling Australia’s world record, the body said.
Arthur’s tenure in his home country was good—winning 22 of the 45 Tests and lifting South Africa to series wins in England in 2008 (the first in 40 years) and Australia the same year, while his team remained unbeaten in away series between 2006 to the end of his stint.
But his record as Australia’s first foreign coach left his CV dented as they lost to South Africa at home and were routed 4-0 in India before a win-less Champions Trophy in England in 2013.  
He was unceremoniously sacked two weeks before the Ashes series started in England in June 2013, with two years to run on his contract, and replaced by Darren Lehmann.
He later sued Cricket Australia for up to Aus$4 million (US3.7 million), claiming there had been a deliberate campaign against him, before reaching a confidential agreement with the governing body.
He will be Pakistan’s fifth foreign coach following Richard Pybus (twice in 1999 and 2002-03), Bob Woolmer (2004-07), Geoff Lawson (2007-08) and Dav Whatmore (2012-14).
Arthur also had a stint as Karachi franchise coach in the inaugural Pakistan Super League in the United Arab Emirates last year.
Pakistan’s head coach job is regarded as one of the toughest in world cricket, with high turnover and volatile players.
Waqar’s tenure was marred by his differences with Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi and indisciplined players Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal.