Misbah-ul-Haq blames system as PCB looks to hire Mickey Arthur once again

Misbah-ul-Haq has recently come forward and slammed the likely hiring of Mickey Arthur by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Arthur, who was the coach of the Pakistan national side from 2016 to 2019, is very likely to come back but in a different role.

The South African-Australian former cricketer is the frontrunner for the position of Pakistan men’s team director. The PCB's talks with Arthur had failed a few weeks ago, but the board's persistence has finally helped them reach a compromise.

Misbah did not take the news in good zest, as he blamed the former Pakistan players for damaging the system to the point, where the board has to look toward other countries to find top coaching personnel.

A slap on Pakistan cricket: Misbah-ul-Haq

The PCB is very close to reaching an agreement with Mickey Arthur to become the men's team's team director. Arthur does not want to quit coaching in county cricket, so this deal will allow him to keep both jobs. It has been understood that Arthur will not be present with the Pakistan national side on every tour but will have a handpicked group of support staff with them instead.

"It's 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."

"I blame our own 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," Misbah said while talking to ESPNcricinfo.

The debate about foreign and local coaches has been ongoing for a long time in the PCB. Former players and the board themselves are to blame for the fact that Pakistan cannot depend on local talent anymore, according to Misbah-ul-Haq.

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