Pakistan’s new head coach Mickey Arthur vowed yesterday to lift his new team to the top of world cricket rankings as he did with his native South Africa.
He arrived in Lahore on Wednesday night to take over his new role, which had been vacant since the resignation of Waqar Younis in April following Pakistan’s disastrous first-round exit from the World Twenty20.
“My short term plan is to create a cricket culture and the long term plan is to make the team number one in all three forms of the game,” he said.
Pakistan are currently third in Tests but their standing in limited overs cricket - ninth in one-day internationals and seventh in Twenty20 - leaves much room for improvement.
“Our Test cricket seems to be very good at the moment,” said Arthur. “If we can play well outside the subcontinent that means that the team’s really going forward.”
The 48-year-old had a glorious coaching career with South Africa between 2005-2010, taking them to the summit of Test rankings in 2008, following series wins in England and Australia.  He also lifted them to number one in one-day cricket in 2007.
His 19-month tenure as Australia’s coach ended on a bitter note when he was sacked a few days before the 2013 Ashes in England after his team crashed out of the group stages of the ICC Champions Trophy.
Arthur’s first task as Pakistan’s coach will be to help the team face an ascendant England side on their home turf in a four-match Test series starting at Lord’s on July 14.
Pakistan also have series against the West Indies in United Arab Emirates (September-October), two Tests in New Zealand (November) followed by three Tests and six one-day matches in Australia.
The South African, who has been given a two-year contract, which is negotiable after 12 months, also praised fast bowler Mohamed Amir, due to play his first Test since being convicted in a spot-fixing case on the team’s last tour to England in 2010.
“Amir is a fantastic professional,” he said. “I am only interested in making him the best and other stuff is irrelevant to me and what people say about him.”
Meanwhile Pakistan cricket authorities confirmed Amir has been issued a British visa, clearing him to play in England for the first time since being convicted of spot-fixing six years ago.
The 24-year-old was named in Pakistan’s squad for the four-match Test series due to start at Lord’s from July 14, the same venue where his deliberate no-balls caused a furore in the cricket world in 2010.
Amir, along with then Test captain Salman Butt and new-ball partner Mohamed Asif, were charged for bowling deliberate no-balls in return for money. The trio was banned from playing cricket at all levels for five years and jailed for six months in the UK in 2011. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had made a special request for Amir’s visa, which was accepted.
“The PCB has been officially informed that the UK Government has approved the Visa for Amir,” the PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan will hold a training camp in Hampshire before opening the tour with two three-day matches. The Tests will be followed by five one-day internationals and a Twenty20.
Since his ban was lifted in September last year, Amir has been in great wicket-taking form, making him an automatic choice for the England tour.