Mickey Arthur 2.0: South African accepts Pakistan's coaching job

• Mickey Arthur agrees to join Pakistan team as head coach.
• Najam Sethi contacts former South African cricketer.
• New Zealand series Saqlain Mushtaq's last assignment. 

Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has accepted Najam Sethi’s offer and will assume charge as Pakistan's head coach in the next few days, sources confided to Geo News Monday.

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) 14-member management committee, Najam Sethi, contacted the former South African cricketer about his role in the new set-up.

According to the sources, Mickey Arthur will join the team before the Pakistan Super League’s eighth session.

Arthur coached the national team from 2016 to 2019 during which the Pakistan team won the Champions Trophy.

The new PCB management is overhauling the board and has sacked the governing body, Mohammad Wasim-led selection committee while a decision has reportedly been taken to not extend the contract of head coach Saqlain Mushtaq and bowling coach Shaun Tait.

Babar Azam focused on game

Meanwhile, speaking to the media ahead of the first Test against New Zealand on Sunday, skipper Babar Azam said they are focused on their game.

Asked following so many happenings, change of guard in the PCB and selection committee and the country's failure in the last four successive Tests is his team in the right frame of mind to win the series against New Zealand, Babar said: “The way things are going on and in the last few days changes have come, I think as a professional you are to face such things".

"But our job is to perform and to apply our best. Look, these things are off the ground and our entire focus is on the ground and how to win a match and how to start well this series and how to deliver in all three departments," he said.

Babar said the final XI will be decided after meeting with interim chief selector Shahid Afridi.

“We have not yet finalised the final XI as the chief selector is coming and we will hold a discussion with him and then will decide the playing XI," he said.

Asked whether he was consulted by the selectors who have added three more players to the squad Babar said he had been consulted.

“Yes it was discussed with me and we debated on it how we have to carry forward because they have their own mindset. I gave my input and whatever we thought as the best we did that,” he said.