Trott's tenure as Afghanistan head coach to end after T20 WC

Jonathan Trott's tenure as Afghanistan head coach will come to an end after the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Monday. The decision, the board said, was part of its long-term strategic planning for the next phase of the national team's growth.

During Trott's tenure, Afghanistan achieved several memorable results, including historic wins over top-ranked sides and strong performances at major events. Afghanistan narrowly missed out on a semifinal berth in the 2023 World Cup, finishing sixth on the points table, having defeated England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the competition. They did even better in the 2024 T20 World Cup, making the semifinal stage for the first time after recording wins against New Zealand, Australia and Bangladesh. They went down to South Africa in the semifinal of the event.

Speaking about his tenure as the head coach, Trott said: "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."

ACB CEO Naseeb Khan added that the decision was part of a broader vision beyond 2026. "Jonathan has played an important role in our journey, helping our players grow in confidence and compete against the world's strongest sides. As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, this transition is part of our broader plan to take Afghanistan cricket to its next level."

ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf added: "On behalf of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, I extend our sincere gratitude to Jonathan Trott for his dedicated service and the professionalism he brought to our national team. His efforts have supported a crucial period in the development of Afghanistan cricket, and we wish him every success in his future endeavors."