Pakistan’s head coach, Mickey Arthur, provided a candid assessment of his team’s performance, explaining the reasons behind their failure to reach the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 after a 93-run loss to England.
Arthur acknowledged the team’s inconsistency and emphasized the need for improvement, stating, “I don’t think we played our best game here. Inconsistency doesn’t breed success, and unfortunately, we haven’t played well enough to secure a higher position in the tournament.”
Discussing Pakistan’s approach to ODI cricket, Arthur highlighted the need for the team to elevate their game. He stressed the importance of strengthening the bowling attack, especially with the absence of Naseem Shah, and emphasized the need for the batting unit to consistently aim for scores of 330-350.
Arthur expressed the team’s awareness of the areas that require improvement, saying, “We know exactly where we need to go and what we need to do. Planning’s already started. We can control how we prepare our players and the messaging we give to them.”
Addressing the team’s young players, Arthur emphasized the importance of consistency in messaging and selection, creating an environment that allows them to grow. He supported captain Babar Azam, acknowledging his growth and learning process, stating, “We’ve made mistakes, but if this group grows and learns from it, we’ve got the core of a very, very good side.”
In terms of creating a stable environment, Arthur emphasized the need to shield players from external pressures, stating, “The key for us as leaders within that group is to make sure that we make the players deaf to the outside noise.”
Arthur praised the spinners’ potential and acknowledged areas for improvement, particularly in bowling as a group. He commended Shadab’s recent performance and stressed the importance of encouraging such efforts.
Despite challenges, Arthur refuted claims of a lack of messaging, stating, “It wasn’t through messaging; I can assure you of that. We challenge them every day to be a 330 or 350 team. We’re certainly, certainly trying to do that.”
In conclusion, Coach Mickey Arthur emphasized the team’s commitment to growth, learning from mistakes, and creating a stable environment to foster player development, indicating a strategic plan for future competitions.
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