As Afghanistan concluded their journey in the IFF Men's ODI World Cup 2023 with a five-wicket loss to South Africa, chief coach Jonathan Trott expressed a blend of emotions, acknowledging a mix of happiness for their four wins and regret over some missed opportunities. Despite the ending note, Trott remains optimistic about the team's future, highlighting the promising performances displayed by the players.
Afghanistan's campaign featured remarkable victories over defending champions England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands, showcasing their prowess on the global stage. Trott specifically pointed out the 6-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in their opening match as one of the missed opportunities, lamenting that there were "a few other games" where victory was within reach.
Notably, the match against five-time World Champions Australia presented a significant turning point. Afghanistan had put Pat Cummin's side on the back foot at 91/7 before Glenn Maxwell's extraordinary unbeaten double-century propelled Australia to victory. Trott reflects on these instances as key moments where the outcome could have swung in their favor, underscoring the competitive spirit and potential of the Afghan team, despite the final result in the tournament.
"There are, obviously, a few things. I think we set out, we arrived on the shores and you know pretty ambitious and if you'd said we won four games you probably would have taken it you know - Especially after losing the first game against Bangladesh, which we probably would have seen as a sort of must-win or a very much winnable game. So, after that, I'd certainly have taken it, but it's still a case of sitting here today thinking there are a few other games that we left out there that we could have perhaps won," said Trott during the post-match press conference on Friday.
The English coach said he saw some improvements in his players and squad during this World Cup.
"So as a coach and as a member of the team, we're disappointed with that, but you can't have everything. You can't win always. But I see some good improvement. I see a lot of confidence in players and their ability.
"I had confidence in the players, but sometimes until somebody does it or they do it themselves, you're never quite sure. So that's always a challenge for a developing team or a developing player or nation until they get across the line," he added.
"And I've said numerous times before the tournament that we just need to win a couple of games to get that belief and the buzz around the side and sort of a spring in the step because there'd been so many times, we'd got so close and found a way just to lose. So, I'm pleased with that. We've won games and found ways to win games," Trott said.
Trott commended the team for displaying a commendable sense of all-round responsibility throughout the World Cup. Contrary to initial expectations that Afghanistan would heavily depend on their bowlers to pose challenges to opponents, the tournament witnessed noteworthy contributions from their batting lineup. Players such as Ibrahim Zadran (376 runs), Azmat Omarzai (353 runs), Rahmat Shah (320 runs), and Hashmat Shahidi (310 runs) showcased their prowess with the bat, significantly impacting Afghanistan's performance.
Moreover, on the bowling front, seasoned spinner Rashid Khan emerged as a standout performer, clinching 11 wickets. The balanced efforts from both the batting and bowling departments underscored Afghanistan's versatility and resilience on the global stage. Trott emphasized the team's ability to transcend expectations, proving that they possess not only a formidable bowling attack but also a capable and potent batting lineup, adding a new dimension to their cricketing prowess."Normally, with the side, you'd say bowling would be the strength. So, you'd try and put the pressure on the bowlers -- but to be able to knock off targets in a pretty comfortable fashion and responsible fashion makes it certainly shows that we're not sort of one-way inclined to win cricket games. We can win in various ways," he said.
Asked what should be the next step in the progression of Afghanistan is to have a squad with a bigger pool of players.
"I think the next progression is to have more of a squad with regards to more players. We've seen Noor [Ahmad] come in, or Fazalhaq Farooqi come in. And so, it's for the first time really been able to sort of select a side depending on the conditions whereas before you'd normally have 11 and if you had one injury you'd sort of - but you're seeing now that the emergence of the players, the experience of franchise cricket and becoming very, very good players.
"So, there's certainly a bigger pool I think than in the past to be able to select from, or certainly experienced players or well-known names to be able to call upon, like Naveen [ul-Haq] coming in and playing ODI cricket, and we saw the impact he very nearly got us a win against Australia with all the wickets in the new ball.
Trott said he sees a bright future for Afghanistan and said their job now will be to nurture the players.
"So, the future's bright, it's our job as a side and us as management coaches to make sure we nurture that and make sure that we're going in the right direction," he said.
(With Agency Inputs)
