• Mickey Arthur Backs Babar Azam’s Growth as Captain.
• Arthur lamented the absence of Naseem Shah.
• Team director Mickey Arthur will stay in Dubai from November 13 to 16.

After a disappointing conclusion to their ICC World Cup 2023 campaign, Pakistan’s team director, Mickey Arthur, addressed the media in a candid press conference, shedding light on various aspects of the team’s performance and outlining plans for the future.

Expressing disappointment in the team’s overall showing in the World Cup, Arthur acknowledged that they did not play their best cricket but remained optimistic about the learning opportunities, especially for captain Babar Azam. “We should give Babar Azam opportunities; he will learn from his mistakes,” Arthur stressed. “Making mistakes is not a crime; everyone does it.”

Arthur emphasized the need for improvement in the team’s standard of play, particularly in batting, stating, “In batting, we need to consistently score three hundred and fifty runs,” underlining the importance of a more robust batting strategy.

The absence of Naseem Shah was lamented by Arthur, who suggested that the bowling would have been better with him in the lineup. “If Naseem Shah was available, our bowling would have been better.”

Looking ahead, Arthur outlined the team’s focus on planning for the upcoming Test series in Australia and stressed the significance of consistency for overall team improvement, insisting on a consistent approach to team selection.

Despite the disappointing overall performance, Arthur highlighted the versatility of bowler Haris Rauf, who set a record for conceding the most runs (533) in a single World Cup edition. “Haris Rauf is not just a new-ball bowler; he bowls better than the old ball.”

Regarding the team environment, Arthur acknowledged external pressures but emphasized the importance of maintaining the right atmosphere within the squad. “There is always noise outside; we need to maintain the right team environment,” he said.

Arthur underlined the necessity of consistency for success, stating, “Consistency is necessary for success; success doesn’t come from inconsistency.” He expressed disappointment in the spin attack, noting, “The failure of the spin attack is disappointing; spinners play a crucial role in our brand of cricket.”

The coaches had instructed players to score more than three hundred runs in every match, Arthur revealed.

In terms of the team’s return, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the squad would return in two groups. Hasan Ali will stay back in India and return to Pakistan on November 22.

Team director Mickey Arthur will stay in Dubai from November 13 to 16 before departing for Lahore on November 16.

The journey back home for the team members is scheduled as follows:

• The first batch of 11 members will depart from Kolkata on November 12 via Emirates flight EK571, while the remaining members will fly out on Emirates flight EK573.
• Players from Sialkot will land in their respective city from Emirates flight EK618 on November 13.
• Players and members from KPK, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi will land in Islamabad via EK612 on November 13.
• Players from Lahore and team management will arrive on two different flights, EK622 and EK624, on November 13.

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