"Slap On Our System": Misbah-ul-Haq's Scathing Remarks On Mickey Arthur's Potential Return

Former Pakistan skipper and coach Misbah-Ul-Haq opines that the likely re-hiring of Mickey Arthur as national men side's coach is a "slap on Pakistan Cricket". Arthur is likely to return to Pakistan as its team director following Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi's arrival. Misbah blamed former Pakistan players for damaging the credibility of the system and making PCB look outside the home territory for coaching roles. Pakistan's talks with Arthur had failed earlier on three occasions, but PCB kept persisting. Arthur had previously coached the side from 2016 to 2019. It is understood that the board is close to agreeing to a deal with him as a team director, rather than a head coach.

If Arthur goes ahead with the role with PCB, it will be his second concurrent coaching role as he is currently in a long-term deal with Derbyshire. Arthur does not want to end his county stint and both sides have agreed to let him have both jobs. In an unusual arrangement, he will not be there with the Pakistan team, but will have handpicked people running the operations for him.

"It is a slap on our cricket system that we are not able to find a high-profile full-time coach," Misbah told ESPNcricinfo.

"It is 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.

"I blame our own system, which is vulnerable enough with so many weak lines for anyone to exploit it. We are to be blamed ourselves that we have disrespected and discredited our own people to make a bad image. The present and former lot do not respect each other, with media and former players using their own YouTube channels for ratings, grossly hitting the credibility and value of our cricket which,