Mickey Arthur refuses to take up Pakistan head coach job, confirms PCB

Talks between Mickey Arthur and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fallen through as the South African has refused to take up the job following the departure of Saqlain Mushtaq next month. It is understood that Arthur is not comfortable giving up a full-time job at Derbyshire and has also refused to take up the Pakistan job as a consultant.

"Owing to his long-term contract with Derbyshire, we have also discussed a proposal to act as a consultant to the PCB on a time-sharing basis with Derbyshire. Unfortunately, however, this option is proving difficult to materialise for various reasons on both sides," the PCB said in a statement on Tuesday (January 10).

The PCB said that it wanted Arthur at the helm till the 2025 Champions Trophy. "The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed it has been in talks with former national team head coach Mickey Arthur with a view to appointing him as the head coach to guide the side through to the ACC Asia Cup, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025," the PCB statement said.

"Under the circumstances, the PCB will continue its search for the right person to fit the slot of the national team head coach and some top names are already under consideration," it further added.

Arthur has taken charge of Pakistan once before - in 2016. The following year, he led Pakistan to a silverware, helping them lift the ICC Champions Trophy in England following a victory over India. He was replaced after Pakistan failed to progress to the knockout stages of the World Cup in 2019.