Mumbai: In Afghanistan’s final match of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which was also his last as the team’s head coach, Jonathan Trott was still scribbling down notes in his book.
The end of a four-year coaching stint, during which he took Afghan cricket to loftier heights was defined by centimeters separating match outcomes and group of death standings. And the end of the 2024 World Cup semi finalists’ campaign two years on was capped off with Afghanistan registering their biggest total in a men’s T20 World Cup, for an 82-run win over Canada.
What if Fazalhaq Farooqi was just a tad quicker in running back and his bat not millimetres short of the crease when 2 were needed off 3 against South Africa? What if Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s shot was centimetres either side of point when 5 were needed off 1 in that second Super Over?
In a tournament of what-ifs for them, and in a tough group comprising South Africa and New Zealand, who knows where Afghanistan’s World Cup would have gone if those questions had different answers.
Maybe not to an inconsequential clash in Chennai on Thursday, where they powered to 200/4 riding on Ibrahim Zadran’s unbeaten 95, the highest individual score by an Afghan in a men’s T20 World Cup.
This was Afghanistan’s third 180-plus total from four matches in this World Cup, as many as they had put up in all their previous T20 World Cup appearances combined. The other two came against New Zealand and South Africa, although both were in losing causes. It paints a picture of how much Afghanistan—a team that always had match-winning bowlers but often lacked collective batting strength in the past—has progressed with Trott as coach.
Their improved batting skills were again on display against Canada, who, however, aided them by dropping catches and being sloppy in the field.
Gurbaz gave the early wings to his team’s 200 flight with a quickfire 20-ball 30 after being dropped in the second over.
His opening partner Zadran took over after he left, batting through the innings in a 56-ball knock that featured five sixes and seven fours. He was given a life as well, and cashed in even more. After a solid 95-run third-wicket stand between Zadran and Sediqullah Atal, the surge in the last five overs fetched Afghanistan 69 runs.
Although they made a promising start, the chase was always going to be stiff for Canada. More so after losing last match centurion Yuvraj Samra and the retiring Navneet Dhaliwal early.
And so Afghanistan, as well as their departing head coach, walk away from this World Cup with the highest team total, a highest individual score, two victories, and one overriding what-if feeling.
