• PCB says it was in talks with Mickey Arthur.
• It says Arthur has long-term stint with Derbyshire.
• Names under consideration for head coach slot, it says.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Tuesday that it is in search of the “right person” for the men’s head coach post after considering the appointment of Australian great Mickey Arthur became a “difficult” task.

Newly-appointed chairman of the PCB’s management committee, Najam Sethi, had hinted at hiring a foreign coach for the team as the contracts of Saqlain Mushtaq and Shaun Tait, Pakistan’s current head and bowling coach, expire on February 9.

The Australian great was Pakistan’s head coach when the team won the ICC Champions Trophy in England. He is currently in a long-term coaching agreement with Derbyshire county.

As reports were rife about appointing Arthur, the PCB, in a statement, confirmed that it was in talks with the former national team head coach and sought his services for several international events.

The board said it had approached Arthur with a view to appointing him as the head coach to guide the side through the ACC Asia Cup, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

However, the board said, owing to his long-term contract with Derbyshire, it had also discussed a proposal to act as a consultant to the PCB on a time-sharing basis with Derbyshire.

“Unfortunately, however, this option is proving difficult to materialise for various reasons on both sides,” the cricket board mentioned.

Under the circumstances, the PCB said it will continue its search for the “right person” to fit the slot of the national team head coach. The board, without mentioning, said some top names are already under consideration.

Meanwhile, sources said that former fast bowler Umar Gul has emerged as a strong candidate to replace Tait as bowling coach after interim chief selector Shahid Afridi also recommended his appointment for the slot.