Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) two grant him two more years to deliver “remarkable results”. He further went on to state that he wants captain Sarfaraz Khan sacked and leadership roles to be handed over to the youngsters in the team.
After Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, PCB’s Cricket Committee reviewed results of the past three years which included the Champions Trophy victory as well as the poor performances in the Test circuit.
According to PTI, Arthur suggested to the Committee that Shahdab Khan should replace Sarfaraz as captain in the limited-overs formats, while Babar Azam should be given the responsibility of the Test side. PCB Managing Director, Wasim Khan will discuss the issue with other members on Wednesday before forwarding recommendations to the Board Chairman, Ehsan Mani.
Arthur, who has been with the Pakistan Cricket Team since mid-2016, has helped them reach the summit of the ICC T20 rankings. However, some bizarre performances in Tests and overall inconsistency in ODIs have been the point of concern for the Board.
Arthur and other staff members have their contracts expiring on August 15, with reports stating that he has also applied for the position of head coach with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board. On the other hand, PCB is trying to get Mahela Jayawardena for the job but currently, he is working with the Mumbai franchise of the Indian T20 League. If it becomes difficult for them to lure him with a higher salary package, Arthur may go on to retain his position.
Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Jewel Samad
