Jonathan Trott challenges Afghanistan for more ahead of T20 World Cup

New Delhi [India], September 16 (ANI): Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott wants his team to build on their run at last year’s T20 World Cup and continue to evolve as a team, as per the official website of ICC.

Trott has lifted Afghanistan to new heights since taking the head coaching role back in 2022, with the side’s unforgettable run to the semi-finals of last year’s T20 World Cup displaying the capabilities of the emerging nation.

With a must-win clash against Bangladesh at the Asia Cup on the horizon in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and less than six months until the next edition of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, Trott has challenged his side to continue to evolve and create even more memories on the big stage.

“Since I’ve been with the side, we’ve had some memorable moments,” Trott recalled, as quoted from the official website of ICC.

“I think back to when we beat Bangladesh in a 50-over series in Bangladesh for the first time (in 2023). It had never been done before, and given how strong Bangladesh have been at home, to go there and do that gave us a lot of confidence and positivity.”

“Then there was the win in St Vincent at the (2024) T20 World Cup, which helped us qualify for the semi-final. That was such a tight, historic game, and it gave us great belief. This group I’m currently working with is not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground,” he added.

“Whenever there’s something that hasn’t been done before, like a big obstacle or a big challenge, this Afghan side rises to the occasion. They’re not only setting new standards for themselves but also paving the way for future players to keep pushing those boundaries,” he noted.

One of Afghanistan’s current strengths is their depth of quality spin bowlers, with skipper Rashid Khan and veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi the mainstays alongside fellow tweakers Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and AM Ghazanfar.

Trott knows exactly how important good spinners can be when playing on the sub-contient and wants to use this to his advantage going forward ahead of the T20 World Cup at the start of next year.

“Right now, we have a great opportunity with the Asia Cup. Looking a bit further ahead, with the World Cup coming up in February, we have good memories of playing in the sub-continent – in Sri Lanka and India,” he added.

“It can be tempting to look too far ahead, but for now, Bangladesh (at the Asia Cup) is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and we’re focused on winning that game,” Trott said. (ANI)

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