Afghans Look To Give Coach Trott A Fitting Farewell
“I think he is still fit and doing well for the team. He’s fielding on the boundary, running better than some youngsters. I feel he still has cricket left in him”: Mohammad Nabi
CHENNAI: Afghanistan’s campaign may not have unfolded as they had hoped, but pride will be on the line when they face Canada in their final group match of the ICC T20 World Cup here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday. Afghanistan, who scripted a stirring march to the semi-finals in the previous edition, couldn’t replicate that fairy-tale run and failed to get past New Zealand and South Africa in the ‘Group of Death’.
Head coach Jonathan Trott, who took charge in 2022 after replacing Graham Thorpe, will step down after Thursday’s match. Under Trott, Afghanistan performed admirably in the last two ICC World Cups.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan wants to give Trott a fitting farewell. “We have had unbelievable games and tours with him. He is someone who has taken Afghanistan cricket to where it is now. He worked so hard with every single player. Everyone will miss him. He played a major role in putting this team on the right path,” he said.
Afghanistan have already set their sights on the next big event — the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. “That’s a big one. The pressure will be to go there fully prepared. We had a great 2023 World Cup, but we want to improve on the things we didn’t do well,” Rashid added.
There is also uncertainty surrounding senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, whose future remains the subject of speculation. “I think he is still fit and doing well for the team. He’s fielding on the boundary, running better than some youngsters. I feel he still has cricket left in him. But it’s an individual decision. It’s about how long you enjoy the game. Personally, I will play as long as I enjoy it. Once that stops, I don’t see myself continuing,” Rashid said.
Afghanistan were drawn into a formidable group and paid the price for lapses at crucial moments. An opening loss to New Zealand was followed by a dramatic defeat to South Africa after two Super Overs — a result that effectively ended their hopes. “To be in the Super Eight, you have to beat big teams. To reach the semifinals, you have to beat even bigger ones. In T20 cricket, if you let it slip, it’s very hard to come back,” Rashid said.
“We haven’t taken smart decisions under pressure. That’s what hurt us. Against New Zealand, we were under pressure and didn’t make the right calls. It was the same against South Africa,” he concluded.