Jonathan Trott Rashid Khan for Afghanistan. Image Credits: X
After the final game against Canada, Afghanistan’s campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026 came to an end, marking the close of their journey in the tournament. It also signalled the end of an era as Jonathan Trott had his final day with the team as the head coach.
But before leaving the side, he dropped a bombshell about his exit. Reflecting on the situation, he revealed that ending his tenure was not his decision.
Jonathan Trott reveals the truth behind his coaching departure
In the last few decades, Afghanistan's rise in world cricket has turned heads, but after 2022, they turned themselves into one of the formidable forces of world cricket. While the world witnessed the rapid excellence of their players, the unseen architect behind the revolution was head coach Jonathon Trott.
The T20 World Cup 2026 didn’t go on their way as they made an exit from the group stage after the last match against Canada. With that exit, an era also came to a close as head coach Jonathan Trott spent his final day in the Afghanistan dugout.
His departure left the cricket world emotional, but former head coach Jonathan Trott dropped a bombshell before leaving. According to Cricbuzz, taking a subtle dig at ACB, he revealed it was not his decision to leave the post, and that statement sparked the buzz.
“With continuing, it’s not my decision, so that’s all I’ll leave it at really. Maybe the time’s right, maybe it’s not. I don’t know, but I wish everyone the best in the future,” he said.
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Trott turns nostalgic, remembering Afghanistan’s historic rise
Since Trott took charge of the Afghanistan side, the nation’s quick rise became an inspiration. From an underdog to a formidable force, the journey was not easy, but their hunger made it true. Historic triumphs, World Cup heroics, and remarkable milestones followed as the team experienced it all.
Before stepping down from his role, Jonathan Trott revisited some of the best moments of the Afghanistan cricket. Reflecting on the journey, he admitted he felt truly fortunate to have coached such a remarkable side.
“Lots of great memories. I always feel very fortunate enough to have had a lot of memories as a player but also now as a coach as well. Beating Pakistan for the first time in a World Cup, beating England, bilateral series wins away from home against teams like Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, all these sorts of things. I've been very fortunate enough to have coached some really great players, some really good humans, a good bunch of guys,” he said.
Trott recalls how Afghanistan conquered challenges to script history
While the world saw Afghanistan’s triumph on the big stage, their struggles behind the scenes cannot be overlooked. Unlike many other nations, Afghanistan’s cricket infrastructure is still developing, and the team has yet to play international matches on home soil. Before leaving the side, Trott highlighted how they defied all odds to rise on the global stage.
“They operate at such a high level compared to what they're afforded compared to other countries, yet they can come on this stage and compete and almost people expect us to be in the semifinals and finals, which I find amazing that they can do that, handle the pressure, but also the background, they don't have the sort of day-to-day coaching that young players have, academies and facilities and all these things and schooling,” he said.
Afghanistan players made Trott’s last day special as they registered a remarkable victory against Canada in the last game. Ibrahim Zadran’s unbeaten 95 helped the side to put on a strong total, and Mohammad Nabi showed his brilliance in the second inning. With a complete team effort, Afghanistan sealed a dominant 82-run victory.
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