Pakistan cricket has once again plunged into turmoil following their early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hosted on home soil? after 29 ??years. The disappointing performance has not only sparked outrage among fans but also reignited internal conflicts, exposing deep divisions within the coaching setup.

The feud: Aaqib Javed versus Jason Gillespie

The controversy began when Pakistan’s current head coach, Aaqib Javed, blamed the team’s struggles on excessive changes in management. During a press conference, Javed highlighted that Pakistan had changed “16 coaches and 26 selectors in two years,” arguing that such instability would disrupt any team. However, former red-ball coach Jason Gillespie fired back, accusing Javed of undermining him and Gary Kirsten during their tenures. Gillespie went as far as calling Javed a “clown” in a scathing social media post.

Mickey Arthur weighs in on Pakistan cricket’s self-destructive chaos

Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur joined the debate, siding with Gillespie and criticizing the chaotic state of Pakistan cricket. He lamented the persistent chaos within Pakis?tan cricket, stating that the system often harms itself despite having immense talent and ample resources. Arthur emphasized that Pakistan possesses skilled young players who could thrive under structured leadership, but internal disarray continues to hinder progress. He was particularly disappointed because the appointments of Gillespie and Kirsten seemed like a step in the right direction, yet instability within the system ultimately affects the players the most.

“I love this quote to be brutally honest. Jason Gillespie is a wonderful coach, wonderful man. Pakistan cricket just continues to shoot itself in the foot. It is its worst enemy. There are so many good players; they’ve got the resources now; there’s so much young talent. They have incredible skill. And yet it’s still so chaotic. It’s really disappointing to see. I thought when they signed Gillespie and Kirsten, they had gone down exactly the right route, and they had got some really good players. Because ultimately it’s the players that lose out,” Arthur told talkSport.

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Arthur on media agendas and internal politics

Arthur criticized the unstable environment in Pakistan cricket, stating that despite appointing high-quality coaches like Gillespie and Kirsten, internal politics and media-driven agendas continue to undermine progress. He described the system as a “jungle”, where external influences constantly disrupt decision-making, making it difficult for coaches to implement their vision. Arthur expressed sympathy for Gillespie and Kirsten, believing they were deliberately undermined, which not only harms their efforts but also negatively impacts the players and, ultimately, the future of Pakistan cricket.

“They had got some really good coaches who could take them forward. But then that machine that works in Pakistan that just keeps undermining and agendas are driven in the media. It’s a jungle out there and I feel desperately sorry for Gary and Jason. There’s no doubt in my mind that they were undermined because it’s to the detriment of the players and ultimate to the detriment of Pakistan cricket,” added Arthur.

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As the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 approaches, every participating team is focused on assembling a well-balanced squad capable of handling the high-stakes nature of the tournament. For Pakistan, one of the key concerns has been the identification of a reliable power hitter who can provide late-order fireworks and finish matches effectively. The role of a finisher is particularly crucial in limited-overs cricket, where the ability to accelerate in the final overs can often be the difference between a par score and a match-winning total. Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has now weigh?ed in on this important debate, revealing the p??layer he believes can take up this role for the Men in Green.

Mickey Arthur chooses the player for Pakistan’s power-hitter role in Champions Trophy

Arthur, who has an extensive coaching background and?? a deep understanding of Pakistan’s cricketing culture, has backed Khushdil Shah as the ideal choice for the power-hitting position in the lower middle order.

Speaking on PakPassion YouTube channel, Arthur believed that Khushdil has emerged as Pakistan’s designated power hitter, solidifying his role in the lower middle order. Having worked closely with Khushdil in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Arthur has been impressed by his aggressive str??okeplay and ability to ?take on both pace and spin.

“I’ve just worked with Khusdil in the BPL and he was outstanding. What he provides is a power game but he also provides a left-handed option at the back end of the innings, which is quite crucial. He pulls his spin a little bit of spin, so it looks like he’s solidified that role, which is great,” Arthur said.

Also READ: Pakistan’s group-stage rivals: Evaluating India, New Zealand & Bangladesh in Champions? Trophy 2025

Pakistan’s roadmap for the prestigious tournament

Pakistan will kick off their Champions Trophy 2025 title defense with a high-stakes encounter against New Zealand on February 19, in Karachi. This match marks an important milestone as the host nation aims to replicate the success they achieved in 2017, when they triumphed under Sarfaraz Ahmed by defeating India in the final. This time, however, Mohammad Rizwan will take the reins as captain, l?eading Pakistan in front of their home crowd.

The next major fixture for Pakistan is their much-anticipated clash with India on February 23, in Dubai. This match has always been a spectacle, given the fierce rivalry between the two nations. Both teams come into the contest with strong squads, and this encounter promises to be a thrilling one. Following the India clash, Pakistan will face Bangladesh on February 27. in?? Rawalpindi. Bangladesh, though not as strong as the top-tier nations, has always ?posed challenges to Pakistan with their aggressive approach.

Also READ: India’s group-stage rivals: Evaluating Pakistan, New Zealand & Bangladesh in Ch??ampions Trophy 2025

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Pakistan‘s journey in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride with more downs than ups. Despite winning their initial two clashe?s, the Green Team have lost four consecutive fixture??s, eventually reaching on the brink of elimination from the ongoing cricketing event.

The Babar Azam-led side’s underwhelming performance left many fans and experts baffled and frustrated. One prominent voice that emerged in the aftermath of this debacle is that of Salman Butt, the former cricketer, who has slammed the Pakistan cricket team’s director Mickey Arthur for his role in the team.

It is worth noting that Arthur has previously served as the Pakistan’s head coach from 2016 to 2019, and this is his second stint with the 1992 ODI World Cup champions.

Salman Butt’s critical remarks on Mickey Arthur

Butt strongly believes that Arthur should not have any involvement with the national team. The former left-handed batter highlighted an incident from Arthur’s previous tenure as Pakistan’s head coach when he pushed for certain batters to enhance their strike rates in Test cricket. According to Butt, this approach led to a situation where the Pakistani team began losing Test matches within just three days.

“When Mickey Arthur was Pakistan’s coach earlier, he used to say that some of our batters play with a very slow strike rate in Tests. Our team used to lose a Test match in three days during that period. I still can’t understand how he is the coach of Pakistan,” Butt said in a YouTube video.

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‘He is a weird character’: Salman Butt

Butt also criticized Arthur for his comments during the post-match press conference following Pakistan’s seven-wicket defeat against India on October 14.

“Do you think he has any other role? He complains about how ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ wasn’t played in the stadium or says that it’s a BCCI event. He is a weird character,” the 39-year-old added.

Also READ: Inzamam-ul-Haq resigns from Pakistan’s chief? selector ?post amid Babar Azam’s Whatsapp chats leak

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Former India’s cricketer S. Sreesanth has fired back at Mickey Arthur following the latter’s audacious claims after Pakistan’s defeat to India in the ODI World Cup 2023. Despite being handed a heavy loss by the Indian team in the league game, Pakistan’s director of cricket, Arthur confidently stated that Pakistan would face India again in the World Cup final.

The dominance of India over Pakistan

The Babar Azam-led Pakistan team was thoroughly beaten by seven wickets in the one-sided?? CWC 2023 encounter in Ahmedabad on October 14, where India extended their dominant 50-over mega event record against Pakistan with an eighth s??traight win.

S. Sreesanth’s counterattack on Mickey Arthur bold claims

While Arthur remains optimistic about Pakistan’s knockout prospects, Sreesanth holds a different view. In response to Arthur’s comments, the former Indian pacer expressed a bold perspective on India’s World Cup rivalry with Pakistan.

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The 2011 World Cup winner believes that even India’s C team is capable of defeating Pakistan. Sreesanth further emphasized that Pakistan could only dream of playing in such significant stadiums, and India had provided them with an opportunity for which they should be grateful.

“Mickey Arthur said we’ll meet in the final. I don’t think Pakistan can ever beat India in an ICC trophy or in any other event considering the team they have. Even our C team can beat Pakistan’s main XI. Make an IPL XI of players who are not playing, even they can defeat the Pakistan team.�Sreesanth was quoted ??as saying by Hindustan Times.

“Pakistan cannot even dream of playing in such a big stadium. We gave them a chance, but if you play like that, you won’t get such chances again.�/i> the 40-year-old concluded.