KARACHI: Former captain Misbah-ul-Haq has criticised the likely reappointment of Mickey Arthur as director of the national team by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Arthur, who acted as Pakistan head coach from 2016 to 2019, is very likely to come back but in a different role. The South African is the front-runner for the position of team director.

The PCB is very close to reaching an agreement with Arthur to become the men team’s director. Arthur does not want to quit coaching at Derbyshire, so this deal will allow him to keep both the jobs.

It has been understood that Arthur will not be present with the Pakistan team on every tour but will have a handpicked group of support staff with them instead.

Criticising the likely move, Misbah blamed former Pakistan players for damaging the system to the point, where the PCB has to look towards other countries to find top coaching personnel.

“It is a slap on our cricket system that we are not able to find a high-profile full-time coach. It’s a shame that the best ones do not want to come, and we insist on having someone who is looking at Pakistan as a second option,” Misbah told ESPNcricinfo

“I blame our own [cricketing] system, which is vulnerable enough with so many weak lines for anyone to exploit it. We are to blame ourselves because we have disrespected and discredited our own people to make a bad image.”

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023