Islamabad, Feb 3: Former Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur has voiced his concerns about the precarious state of the Pakistani cricket team and painted a vivid picture of a team grappling with instability, saying that due to insecurity in the team, the Men in Green have been playing only for their contract.
The corridors of cricketing power in Pakistan had witnessed a shift with a completely revamped coaching staff as well as new captains. Mohammad Hafeez took charge of the side as team director following Mickey Arthur and Grant Bradburn’s exit after the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Arthur stressed the significance of fostering a secure team environment, noting that in situations where there is an overall sense of insecurity, players starts prioritising their individual interests.
“When there’s security within the environment, Pakistan is very good. When there’s that insecurity, players start playing for themselves instead of the team because they’re thinking of the next tour, and the next contract. That’s a dangerous place to be in, and that’s kind of where Pakistan cricket is now. And that’s something very disappointing and sad for me,” Arthur told ESPNcricinfo.
“There’s a massive amount of talent there, There are some world-class players, not just talented players. They’re not given the support structure that they need to flourish,” he added.
Mohammed Hafeez, a veteran in the squad, echoed Arthur’s sentiments, attributing the string of defeats in Australia and New Zealand to a lack of focus. The impending commitments in franchise T20 cricket seemed to cast a shadow over the national duties, sowing seeds of distraction among the players.
The collaboration between Mickey Arthur and Pakistan Cricket had its golden moments, with the 2017 Champions Trophy shining brightly in the annals of history. The coach had steered the team to significant successes in Test and T20I rankings, but the partnership concluded on a sour note.
Despite the bitter end to his association, Aurther admitted to a waning passion for Pakistan cricket. “I still follow Pakistan cricket and I’ll always follow it. But the vigour and thirst and passion I have for Pakistan cricket waned a little bit after that. To be brutally honest, I think Pakistan cricket is in a very disappointing place,” the 55-year-old said.