Former Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur has opened up about the difficulties he faced during his stint with the national side, highlighting the lack of fan support in India during the 2023 ODI World Cup and the constant off-field noise surrounding the team.
Arthur, who stepped down after Pakistan's early World Cup exit before the semifinals, recalled the hostile environment in Ahmedabad, where the absence of Pakistani fans proved a significant hurdle, and that the match was one of the toughest moments during his stint. He praised his players for their resilience but acknowledged that the lack of familiar support affected their motivation.
"It was extremely tough not having any Pakistan support. The one thing that really drives the Pakistan team is the incredible support they receive at grounds and hotels. Here we never had that, and that was quite tough in a World Cup, particularly for the players,” Arthur said.
“As you can imagine it was a tough, hostile environment in Ahmedabad. But we were expecting this, and to their credit our players never moaned or complained once. They cracked on and tried their best – nevertheless it ultimately does play a role in motivation when you can’t see or hear that support base around you,” he added.
Despite the off-field turmoil, including reports of dressing room discord and leaked WhatsApp conversations of Babar Azam, Arthur insists it didn't impact the team's focus. He defended his coaching methods and commitment, rejecting accusations of being an "online coach" and emphasizing his constant communication with the team.
“Anybody who knows me will also know that I will not commit 100 per cent if I can’t do it. With Pakistan I was never an ‘online coach’ as I put together the coaching staff, I was in constant contact with them every single day and knew exactly what was going on within the team.”
“The outside noise with Pakistan is incredible, you just have to check your Twitter feed to see so many fires that are ignited out there, that have absolutely no truth attached to them,” he said. “You end up – and I found this out the first time – you’re just constantly extinguishing those fires and chasing your tail. What we knew within our team was our game plan, and the defined roles that the players had, and we cracked on with it. There were unequivocally no massive disagreements with the players."
Arthur also addressed his decision to return to Pakistan as a director of the team while still holding a position with English county Derbyshire. He explained that his strong relationship with former PCB chairman Najam Sethi motivated his return and emphasized the importance of trust within the team and the selection process.
Arthur called for a more stable environment in Pakistani cricket, advocating for trust between players and the board to ensure they play for the team's success rather than individual goals. He believes in giving players a fair chance and maintaining clear communication to foster a winning mentality.
“If it’s constant change and instability, players go into self-protection mode, and they end up playing for themselves, just thinking about the next tour. It’s frustrating to witness that because players aren’t given a proper chance, there’s no honest communication and they know things are always going to change,” he said.
