Outgoing Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott broke down at his final T20 World Cup 2026 presser. He praised Afghanistan’s rise from underdogs to contenders, lauding their resilience despite limited resources.
The outgoing Afghanistan coach, Jonathan Trott, broke down in tears during the press conference following the team’s victory in their final group stage match of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Canada at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, February 19.
Trott’s tenure as Afghanistan coach came to an end after Afghanistan failed to qualify for the Super 8 stage despite two victories in the group stage. Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, it was announced that a former England cricketer would step down as Afghanistan's head coach and look forward to his next coaching opportunity.
Jonathan Trott took over as the head coach of the Afghanistan team in July 2022 and has played a pivotal role in transforming the team from underdogs to a competitive force in world cricket, capable of challenging and defeating the top-ranked sides on the global stage.
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Trott Recalls his Journey as Afghanistan Coach
Speaking at the press conference, Jonathan Trott became emotional while recalling his time as Afghanistan's head coach, reflecting on the growth of the squad and recognizing Afghanistan’s raw talent early in his tenure.
Trott explained that by adding structure, discipline, and shared professional standards, the team transformed potential into consistent performances, with players holding each other accountable rather than relying on one individual.
“I didn't want to get upset. I just remember my first trip when we were in Ireland, and I saw things that made me realise these boys are so talented and focused,” the former England batter said.
“And if you just want to add a little bit of structure to the mindset, professionalism, and the high standards that we hold ourselves to, not individuals, but we hold each other to those high standards and professionalism,” he added.
After taking over as head coach, Jonathan Trott oversaw Afghanistan’s impressive campaigns in the ICC events, including a memorable run at the 2023 ODI World Cup and a historic run at the T20 World Cup 2024, where they reached the semifinal for the first time in the history of World Cups. Also, Trott helped Afghanistan make steady progress in T20 cricket, where the team consistently challenged higher-ranked opponents.
Trott Credits Afghanistan Players for Growth and Professionalism
Further speaking about his tenure as Afghanistan coach, Jonathan Trott highlighted how he immediately recognized the natural talent of the players in the squad. He contrasts the early chaos with their current professionalism, crediting the players’ dedication, development, and passion for driving the team to become successful.
“I remember seeing Ibra (Ibrahim Zadran) for the first time, I remember seeing Azmat (Azmatullah Omarzai) for the first time, I remember seeing Gurbaz (Rahmanullah Gurbaz) for the first time, and thinking, what amazing players. Let's try and build on what we've got, this natural raw talent. Cool, thanks. And let's see where we can get to,” Trott said.
“We had the names Mujeeb, Nabi, Rashid, all these guys. But it's just one of those things. And I remember how chaotic that first tour was, and where we are now is chalk and cheese.
“The players need so much credit for the level they operate at, the advantages they're afforded as youngsters to develop their skills and their passion for the game,” he added.
Under the coaching of Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan won a historic T20I series against Pakistan in 2023, an ODI series against South Africa, an away ODI series against Bangladesh in 2023 and 2024, and a T20I series against West Indies in 2025, further cementing their reputation as a rising powerhouse in international cricket.
Afghanistan Players Rise Above Despite Limited Resources
Jonathan Trott compared his privileged cricketing upbringing to Afghanistan players’ journey, admiring how they compete confidently at the highest level despite limited developmental resources. He expressed deep respect for their professionalism and said he would always support them from afar.
“I look at these guys and I'm going out to – and I was thinking today and I'll be honest, I was sitting there now, some of these unfortunately education-wise, if I hadn't have gone to schooling and hadn't gone to all the academies, hadn't gone to all the coaching sessions and had the upbringing that I was afforded, I'm not sure I'd be able to stand on that field in front of 20, 000 people and understand and be able to know exactly how I felt and how I'd execute things,” Trott added.
“The amount of coaching I've had compared to the coaching that these guys are now operating at international levels is chalk and cheese. So, I take my hat off to every single one of them. And, so for me, it's the level they operate at that will always amaze me, and from watching from afar, I'll always be very fond and want the guys to do well,” he concluded.
Jonathan Trott will go down as Afghanistan’s influential head coach as he did what other coaches in the past could not, instill lasting structure, belief, and consistency while guiding the team to historic milestones on the global stage.
