New Delhi, February 21. Afghanistan’s campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026 has come to an early end, failing to advance to the Super-8 stage. With the tournament exit, the four-year tenure of head coach Jonathan Trott has also concluded. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is now on the hunt for a fresh face to lead the national team.
In a strategic move, the ACB has imposed a key condition for the new head coach and support staff: they must base themselves in Afghanistan during the off-season. This decision aims to bridge the gap between international and domestic cricket.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan emphasized the importance of this requirement. ‘We’ve specified in the contract that their workplace will be Afghanistan,’ he stated. ‘We want the national team’s coach to closely monitor our domestic players. During periods without scheduled series, they should focus on addressing the team’s weaknesses.’
The search for Trott’s successor is underway, with the board planning to finalize the appointment before the white-ball series against Sri Lanka. Candidates shortlisted include two from South Africa and one Asian, all of whom have completed interviews. While Khan refrained from disclosing names, he promised a new era for Afghan cricket under the incoming coach.
Jonathan Trott joined Afghanistan in 2022 and transformed them into a formidable side. Under his guidance, the team stunned powerhouses like Pakistan, England, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, victories over Australia and New Zealand propelled them to the semi-finals. Even without Super-8 qualification this time, Trott’s contributions across formats—Test, ODI, and T20—will be etched in history. Fans and players alike remember him for building a resilient squad from the ground up.