Arthur to skip Pakistan ODIs

Sydney - Australian coach Mickey Arthur will miss the one-day component of their upcoming tour to the United Arab Emirates to focus on preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup.

Australia face emerging cricketing nation Afghanistan in a single one-dayer in Sharjah on August 25 before three matches against Pakistan, with fielding coach Steve Rixon taking the reins.

Arthur will return for the Twenty20 series against the Pakistanis, which follows the one-day matches.

"We have a very important T20 tournament coming up," Arthur said of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka from September 18.

"I'll spend the time away from the team to really hone our T20 plans and study the opposition ahead of the World Twenty20.

"We have great experience and harmony within our support staff group now and I know that Steve will do a terrific job in partnership with Justin Langer and Ali de Winter while I'm away," he added.