Cricket: Pakistan appoint new coach

Mickey Arthur. Photo / Getty

Former Australia coach Mickey Arthur has been named to take the reins from Waqar Younis as Pakistan coach.

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Friday that the South African will take up his new job at the end of the month.

The 47-year-old was in charge of South Africa from 2005-10 - leading the team to No.1 across all three formats - before coaching Australia from 2011.

Arthur was sacked on the eve of the 2013 Ashes in the wake of the homework-gate saga in India, when four players - Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja - were stood down for the third Test after failing to complete a team assignment.

Pakistan travel to Australia at the end of the year to play three Tests and five one-dayers when Arthur is likely to come up against many of the players in that touring party.

A panel comprising Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja and Faisal Mirza shortlisted three other candidates for the position: former Australian batsmen Stuart Law and Dean Jones and former Afghanistan and New Zealand coach Andy Moles.

Arthur's first challenge will be a tour of England in July, where they will play four Tests, five ODIs and one Twenty20 international.

Younis vacated the position at the end of the World T20 last month.

Pakistan have had four foreign coaches in the past: Richard Pybus, Bob Woolmer, Geoff Lawson and Dav Whatmore.

- AAP