We've perhaps been a bit too reliant on Gurbaz and Ibrahim to get runs: Trott

It was just one unbelievable journey for Afghanistan in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, where they beat teams like New Zealand, Australia, and Bangladesh to make it to the semi-finals - their best-ever finish. However, in the most crucial encounter of the World Cup, they were annihilated by South Africa by a massive margin of nine wickets. Did the short gap between their last league game and the semi-final play a part? Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott doesn’t rule that out. 

“Yeah, obviously playing the last group game and then playing the first semi-final isn't ideal and traveling yesterday and getting here and not really having a day off, if you like. But we knew the schedule, so that's not an excuse as such. 

“When you go on in World Cups or tournaments, you can't have everything your own way, and you've got to fight and play against the odds, which you've done at times and are very proud of, but it's not the reason why we didn't win today,” Trott said in the post-match press conference in Trinidad.

However, Trott feels that Afghanistan players learn something from this World Cup and become an even better side in times to come. “Obviously, very tired and a lot to process really emotionally and physically. So all new territory for the guys and it all plays its part. I suppose in a way, but we were outplayed today, and I'm sure the guys hopefully learn from this experience. 

“I think we've obviously got one better than the previous 50-over World Cup in November, and it's just about taking it step by step. Hopefully, we learn from today. What it takes to play international cricket and play against a bowling side like South Africa on a pitch that's perhaps not conducive to high scoring runs and finding ways of winning games. And we've found ways of winning games; we just couldn't find a way today.”

Throughout this World Cup, Afghanistan have been bailed out by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zardan. The duo sit at the first and third positions on the list of the highest run-scorers in the tournament, respectively, but failed to make any early impact against South Africa. The former England batter acknowledged that Afghanistan's overdependence on the opening duo caused problems.

“South Africa bowled pretty well and they knew how to be bowling the conditions once they saw how the pitch was behaving. It's bad the middle order hasn't fired enough this World Cup. We've perhaps been a bit too reliant on Gurbaz and Ibrahim to get runs. Nobody else has got runs. 

“And we need to find a reason for that. We need to get more batters in who are going to score runs and be more consistent like the openers have been and given us a chance in games. So that's the project for us going forward. Certainly, in all formats as well, 50-over white-ball cricket as well, getting middle-order batters and top-order batters like we have at the openers with Ibrahim and Gurbaz. So that's the focus for now. And what I take away from this World Cup, obviously, is too reliant on the openers, maybe.”

Trott further added that losing games like these hurts the team because of the sacrifices they have made to get where they are. However, Trott remains a proud coach.

“I think whenever you lose a game like this it's always going to hurt and it should hurt because we put so much into the sacrifices made by the players, coaching staff, management, officials all that sort of stuff. So, Yeah, obviously, it hurts at the moment we arrived at the ground in high spirits, ready to take on a strong South African side and make sure we gave a good account of ourselves. 

“I feel like we haven't done that today, so that's the most disappointing thing, and I'm very proud of the guys - this one performance doesn't necessarily define the tournament. But it also gives us an indication of where we need to work and what we need to get better at. If we're going to be competitive more consistently and who we can rely on is certainly with the bats and who's going to get us over the line, certainly if we have to chase as well,” the 43-year-old added.

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