Arthur echoes skipper’s sentiments

Cricket365
January 20, 2018

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur has joined skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed in pinning the blame for their series loss against New Zealand on the batsmen.

The series was marked by Pakistan’s top-order frailty something mirrored in the final ODI where Haris Sohail was the only top order batsman to score more than twelve before a lower order rally got the tourists close.

After the match the captain blasted his batsmen for their persistent failures in the series and the coach would deliver the same verdict in a post-match interview.

Arthur said of Pakistan’s display: “They’ve got the ability and without wanting to look for excuses, they need to get better in these conditions.

“Our guys need to step up, that’s the bottom line. Our top order haven’t done a job for us in the series and that’s a pity. Haris Sohail coming in gave us some stability, and he showed us how to apply oneself in these conditions.”

After Pakistan’s first 5-0 series loss since 2010 Arthur is determined to find an XI that can do something special at the 2019 World Cup.

He added: “With the World Cup coming up in a year’s time, it’s important now that the next one-day team we play is a team that we really believe can shake the World Cup up.

“It’s not discrediting to the players in the dressing room because they have tried exceptionally hard, but we do need to reassess where we go to make sure we get it right next time when we come out, particularly in foreign conditions.”

Arthur would back his young players whom he feels have stepped up brilliantly when asked to.

He said: “Every time we bring young boys in, they stand up. They have done it, they have done it under pressure.

“They did it at the Champions Trophy for us. When Fakhar Zaman walked in, he changed the tempo in the Champions Trophy, playing fearless cricket.

“Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, these are the guys who’d do anything for you. When we play in our own conditions, we dominate because our guys are comfortable and they play very well there. This is like playing on the north pole for them. It’s so different but we got to be better at that.

“But our blue print that we had was good enough to win us the Champions Trophy, it was good enough to win nine ODIs in a row. But we haven’t played well enough here, and that’s a fact. Our guys have come out of playing a lot of T20 leagues.

“I am not making excuses, that’s just the way it is. We haven’t adapted well and haven’t played well enough. But the blue print for us still remains the same, but obviously personnel changes could happen.”

Pakistan’s next assignment is a three match T20I series against New Zealand that starts on Monday.