Pakistan head coach Grant Bradburn, team director Mickey Arthur, and batting coach Andrew Puttick are likely to be sacked, according to a local news channel.
Agencies/JK News Today
Amid reports of Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s captaincy future being in doubt, it has come to light that the Pakistan Cricket Board is set to sack its entire group of foreign support staff members. According to Samaa TV, a renowned Pakistani news channel, Pakistan head coach Grant Bradburn, team director Mickey Arthur, and batting coach Andrew Puttick are likely to be released after the team’s disappointing show in the World Cup 2023 in India. The report further added that PCB chief Zaka Ashraf is set to hold an emergency meeting with former captain Younis Khan on Tuesday and announce the decision.
Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam (R) and TD Mickey Arthur speak during a practice session(AFP)
Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam (R) and TD Mickey Arthur speak during a practice session(AFP)
The board is set to conduct a review of Pakistan’s poor show in the tournament where they failed to qualify for the semi-final after losing five out of their nine league games. Pakistan finished fifth in the points table with 8 points. Notably, this was the second ODI World Cup in a row where Pakistan failed to advance beyond the group stages. Even in the 2015 World Cup in Australia, their journey was stopped in the quarter-finals.
Pakistan, who were the No.1-ranked ODI team not too long ago, also failed to reach the finals of this year’s Asia Cup. The debacle in the two important multi-nation tournaments is believed to be the biggest reason for the sweeping changes that are set to take place in Pakistan cricket.
Morne Morkel might get replaced by Umar Gul
This development comes a day after Pakistan bowling coach Morne Morkel quit. Morkel, Arthur, Bradburn and Puttick came on board as Pakistan reshuffled their coaching staff earlier this year. Arthur mostly supported the team online as he did not want to leave his county contract but Morkel and others were always present with the team since June this year.
