New Delhi, February 25. Afghanistan’s cricket team, reeling from an early exit in the T20 World Cup 2026 qualifiers, has swiftly appointed a new head coach to revitalize its campaign. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has named Richard Pybus as the successor to Jonathan Trott, with Pybus set to join the squad ahead of their white-ball series against Sri Lanka starting March 13.
Trotta’s tenure transformed Afghanistan from underdogs to global contenders, marked by stunning upsets against England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup, and a historic semi-final run in the 2024 T20 World Cup. His departure leaves big shoes to fill, but Pybus brings a wealth of experience that could propel the team further.
Born on July 5, 1964, in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, the 61-year-old Pybus had a modest playing career, featuring in just one first-class match for Suffolk where he scored 4 runs. However, his coaching journey has been illustrious. From 2013 to 2019, he served in multiple roles with West Indies, including head coach, director of cricket, and high-performance chief. Under his guidance, West Indies clinched the 2016 World Cups in men’s, women’s, and U-19 categories.
Pybus’s resume also includes stints as Pakistan’s head coach, guiding them to the 1999 World Cup final—though they fell to Australia—and a brief role with Bangladesh in 2013. Certified as a Level 4 CSA coach, he holds an Executive Coaching certificate from the Neuroleadership Institute, is a certified performance coach, and a master practitioner in NLP.
With a talented roster featuring stars like Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan eyes its first Asia Cup or World Cup title. Pybus’s tactical acumen could be the key. As the Sri Lanka series looms, fans are optimistic about a new era of success for the Afghan warriors.