Publications
Partners
Cape Town - According to reports from Pakistan, the country's prime minister Imran Khan personally intervened to make sure new management was brought in after the Cricket World Cup.
Coach Mickey Arthur had been assured by an influential group of cricketers that he would be retained for another two years after the World Cup, but Khan, who is patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board, personally contacted PCB chairperson Ehsan Mani to scupper the deal.
"Arthur was very confident after these assurances that is why he came down to Lahore and spent quite a few days in anticipation of an extension but he was also disappointed and shocked when the PCB announced they were not retaining him or the support staff," an unnamed source said.
READ: 'Disappointed and hurt' Arthur hits out after Pakistan axe
Arthur was also said to be shocked when local Pakistan media reported he had appeared before the cricket committee and suggested appointing Shadab Khan and Babar Azam as captains for white and red-ball cricket.
That led the South African coach to contact current skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed to assure him he never suggested appointing new captains in his stead.
"Arthur has communicated to Sarfaraz that media reports about him talking about changing the captain were not correct," the source added.
