PCB refutes reports of Mickey Arthur's dressing room rant

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dismissed on Friday reports of ‘angry behaviour’ displayed by head coach Mickey Arthur towards senior players of the cricket team.

“The Pakistan team management, led by Manager Talat Ali, strongly refutes the baseless allegations leveled against Head Coach Mickey Arthur on his supposed 'angry behaviour' at the end of Day Two of the ongoing Test match against South Africa in Centurion,” stated PCB.

The cricket board informed that the meeting between Mickey Arthur and Pakistan team was held in a “cordial atmosphere with inputs from team members and management.”

Earlier, media reports stated that Arthur had a heated argument with captain Sarfraz Ahmed, and top order batsmen Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq. The head coach criticised the senior batsman while throwing objects in the dressing room, reported media.

PCB’s denial comes amid Pakistan batting line continued with its trend of second inning meltdown after Pakistan easing comfortably 101 for 1 imploded after tea to be bowled out for 190, giving South Africa a highly achievable target of 148 runs in the first Test.

This was the latest second inning collapse by the Pakistani batting line, following a series of similar incidents in the recently concluded home series against New Zealand, which Pakistan lost 2-1.