Mickey Arthur, Ex Pakistan Team Director, Describes Cricket World Cup Match vs India
Mickey Arthur, who is Pakistan's former team director, admitted that the ODI World Cup match against India in Ahmedabad was one of the toughest moments of his stint, taking the side through a hostile environment. Arthur moved on after Pakistan failed to reach the semifinals of the showpiece event last year, while former all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez replaced him in the role. He said, "It was extremely tough not having any Pakistani support. The one thing that really drives the Pakistan team is the incredible support they receive at grounds and hotels. Here we never had that, and that was quite tough in a World Cup, particularly for the players.”
Arthur further added, "As you can imagine, it was a tough, hostile environment in Ahmedabad. But we were expecting this, and to their credit, our players never moaned or complained once.
They cracked on and tried their best; nevertheless, it ultimately does play a role in motivation when you can't see or hear that support base around you.”