Arthur experiment will ‘massively backfire’: Raja

The South African is likely to be appointed men's team's director

By Web Desk
February 02, 2023
Ramiz Raja speaks during a press conference — PCB

Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Ramiz Raja believes that the decision to appoint Mickey Arthur as national men’s team’s director could backfire.

It must be noted that Arthur won’t be with the Pakistan team on every tour since he will continue working full-time with English county side Derbyshire as well.

“I think this has been massively mishandled because this concept won’t work. This is an ego-driven decision because they don’t want to accept what the previous board has done. You are allowed to formulate your own strategy but that doesn’t mean that you belittle local coaches and stars,” Raja said on his official YouTube channel.

“I think this is a futile exercise and will massively backfire,” he added.

Raja also hoped that skipper Babar Azam was consulted before such a decision was made.

“I don’t whether he has talked about this or not but Babar Azam, despite being easy going, has very strong views on certain things. I hope he was consulted before such a step was taken,” he said.

Arthur was in charge of the Pakistan team for three years in the past as well having taken up the mantle in 2016.

However, the PCB had decided to not renew the contracts of Arthur and his support staff, following the team's fifth-place finish at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019.

Raja was sacked just days after the national team suffered a humiliating first-ever 3-0 home series whitewash at the hands of England, according to a government notice.

But a change had been on the cards since April, when Imran Khan — a former national captain — was ousted as prime minister and replaced by Shehbaz Sharif.

Raja, a member of Khan´s 1992 World Cup-winning side, was appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in September last year.

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