AFP, KARACHI: Pakistan Friday appointed South African Mickey Arthur as head coach of their national cricket team, replacing Waqar Younis who resigned after a disastrous World Twenty20 last month.
Arthur “has confirmed his acceptance of the post of Head Coach of the Pakistan National Cricket team” after a “detailed and transparent process”, the PCB said in a statement.
“The modalities vis-à-vis his contract are being finalised. It is expected that Arthur will be able to join the PCB toward the end of this month,” the statement continued.
Arthur, who turns 48 later this month, successfully coached his native South Africa from 2005-2010 before migrating to Australia, where he remained coach for 19 months.
But he found his job in danger after Australia lost a Test series in India followed by a poor showing at the Champions Trophy in England, and was sacked just before the 2013 Ashes.
Arthur's first task will be to prepare his team for their upcoming tour of England, where Pakistan plays four Tests, a T20 and five ODIs. He is faced with the difficult task of lifting his players from their lowest-ever world ranking of ninth in one-day cricket.
But the PCB expressed faith in their new coach, saying he has an outstanding record and led South Africa to world number one rankings across all formats. Under him South Africa won 13 consecutive ODI matches, equalling Australia's world record, the body said.
Arthur's tenure in his home country was good -- winning 22 of the 45 Tests and lifting South Africa to series wins in England in 2008 (the first in 40 years) and Australia the same year, while his team remained unbeaten in away series between 2006 to the end of his stint.