Before Pakistan’s current head coach, Grant Bradburn, was appointed in May 2023, the Pakistan Cricket Board had made no secret of its desire to hand the job to Mickey Arthur instead. However, being committed to Derbyshire and with a contract in place that ran until 2025, the PCB was ultimately unsuccessful in its pursuit of appointing Arthur as head coach.
Arthur rejoins Pakistan
They did, however, manage to persuade the South African to join as a consultant in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup. This consultancy role quickly evolved and in April 2023, a deal was struck with Derbyshire that allowed Arthur to become Pakistan’s team director while keeping his role at the County Ground; Pakistan had got their man in time for the World Cup.
It is a development that has seen Pakistan’s price in the latest cricket World Cup odds drop with the team now at just +600 to go all the way in India.
Of course, while the most recent outright cricket betting odds for the World Cup make India the favorite at +180, there is a growing feeling that Pakistan will enjoy a deep run into the tournament.
It’s little surprise that there is such optimism around Pakistan’s chances as Arthur was head coach the last time the country won a major title after they lifted the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017.
The final against India at the Oval on June 18th was one of the most memorable days in Pakistan’s history as Arthur’s men won by 180 runs.
Undoubtedly, Pakistan have a man who knows how to win ICC events in Arthur but it should be noted that the 55-year-old won’t technically be the coach in India. As touched on, that role belongs to Bradburn with Arthur set to work in a directorial capacity. The question is, will this unique setup hamper Pakistan or drive them on to their first World Cup since 1992?
A tale of predictable fallout
Anyone who has followed the career of Arthur will know that the South African enjoys complete control in the roles he carries out. As soon Arthur feels that he is being undermined, fallout normally ensues as it did when he resigned as South Africa’s coach in January 2010 citing selection differences with then-chief executive Gerald Majola.
Three years after that resignation and as coach of Australia, Arthur found himself 2-0 down in a Test series against India. In a desperate bid to turn the series tide around, Arthur asked his squad to write down three ways in which they and the team could improve. Four players refused to complete the task now referred to as ‘homework-gate’ and that spelled the beginning of the end for Arthur as coach of Australia.
While Arthur wasn’t completely at fault for the way in which his time ended with South Africa and Australia, the wider point is that for the 55-year-old to be at his best, his authority – perhaps understandably, can’t seem to be threatened in any way.
Again, the question has to be asked, how does this not end up happening when Arthur doesn’t have complete control over the goings-on of the current Pakistan squad in India?
Yes, this is one of the most talented teams at the World Cup but with a chain of command that is likely to clash, Pakistan’s chances of going all the way may suffer.
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