Jonathan Trott To Step Down As Afghanistan Head Coach After 2026 T20 World Cup

Hyderabad: Jonathan Trott’s tenure as Afghanistan's head coach will come to an end after the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the development on Monday. The board said in a statement that the move is part of a long-term vision and marks the transformational phase.

Trott took charge of the team in 2022 and helped Afghanistan establish itself as a strong side by punching above their weight. During his stint, the team pulled off some significant victories by beating England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Also, the team Afghanistan made their first-ever T20 World Cup semifinal appearance in 2024. Also, they racked up ODI series wins over South Africa and Bangladesh under his watch.

However, despite helping the team produce some impressive results, Trott had recently expressed frustration with the Afghanistan Cricket Board over the ‘serious lack of communication’. He claimed that he was kept out of the team discussions. Trott had later confirmed that it was a misunderstanding, but the recent announcement by the board has sparked the discussion around it yet again.

“It has been a privilege to work with the Afghanistan national team and to witness their passion, resilience, and hunger to achieve greatness. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I will always remain a supporter of Afghan cricket. I wish the team and the Afghan people continued success in the years ahead,” Trott said.

The ACB also made an announcement that the batting coach, Andrew Puttick, will depart from his role later this year. With these moves, the coaching structure is expected to be reshuffled after the 2026 T20 World Cup. Trott will now coach the Gulf Giants in the upcoming ILT20 season, starting from December 2.

Afghanistan has emerged as one of the nations that can beat big teams in marquee events like the World Cup. Their spin unit makes them a strong side at the international stage.