Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur wants to avoid 'championship hangover' 

What's the story?

Mickey Arthur masterminded Pakistan to a miraculous Champions Trophy win last month where in spite of being the lowest ranked team in the competition, they beat tournament favourites like England and India on their way to the coveted title. The South African coach is back to work and is eyeing a level of consistency by his side to make Pakistan one of the contenders for the 2019 World Cup.

In a recent interview, Arthur revealed that he is confident of stopping Pakistan from having a 'championship hangover' and also mentioned that he has learned his lessons from the "Homework-gate." That issue became a defining moment in his stint in Australia with the coach claiming that he has learned his lessons from it and is prepared for the complexities of Pakistan cricket.

"I have learned how to handle different situations differently and that provides me a wealth of knowledge. I think I will be a better coach third time round," quipped the South African.

In case you didn't know...

Pakistan beat India in the final of the Champions Trophy which was the Greens' first ICC tournament win in years.

Mickey Arthur took over the Pakistan job which was deemed by many as being a poisoned chalice. Arthur has had a mixed time as a coach after having a forgetful 18-month stint as the head coach of the Australian cricket team in which the unforgettable "Homework-gate" happened.

Four Aussie cricketers namely Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja were punished for failing to complete a given team task by Mickey Arthur which became worldwide news. Sadly, Arthur was ridiculed for a long time because of his attempt at implementing discipline by a method many felt was over the top.

The heart of the matter

Arthur is back to work in Pakistan after spending time with his family in Western Australia. 'Championship hangover' is a phenomenon displayed by many teams in varied sports which simply means failing to maintain the standards which brought them glory before.

The 49-year-old is looking to work with the squad in preparation for the upcoming tours and hopes that his team keeps winning games to improve their ICC rankings.

What's next?

Pakistan have overseas tours of Sri Lanka, India and Zimbabwe lined up in the next six months where Arthur's side will be hopeful of carry on their stunning form from the Champions Trophy.

Author's take

The new Pakistan coach has instilled a positive approach in their cricket which wasn't evident in the past few years. The brand of cricket that they displayed reflected Arthur's philosophy in every aspect.

There is a lot on the line for Arthur as a coach as Pakistan must avoid the 'Championship hangover' if they are to continue a dream run under Sarfaraz Ahmed - who will lead the side in all forms from now on.