Afghanistan’s head coach Jonathan Trott identified areas to improve after their massive 104-run defeat in the last group match of the T20 World Cup 2024 against West Indies in St Lucia.
Afghanistan bowlers were taken to the cleaners by West Indies batters, Nicholas Pooran to be specific, as the Caribbean side posted a massive 219-run target for Rashid Khan’s men.
In reply, the entire Afghan team was out for 114 in 16.2 overs, which has given them something to worry about ahead of their Super 8 encounter against India.
Trott, talking to the media after the match, argued that Afghanistan will have to improve their bowling in the next matches.
"I think we could have bowled a little bit better at times, obviously the powerplay wasn't ideal - but I think we bowled well after that. The next ten-odd overs went for something like 60 odd, so it showed that if we did bowl well, we could restrict them," Trott said.
"If we don't start an over well, being able to get out of an over and try and stop that," Trott reckoned. "Today we had two overs in total, went for 60 runs, and that swung the game massively."
The Englishman then praised the West Indies batters for making perfect use of the conditions as the wind factor was to the bigger boundary but still, they were able to clear it well.
"I think we saw the West Indies players use the wind factor really well. I mean, the wind was to the bigger, much bigger boundary and they were still able to clear it well. I think maybe we could have bowled a little bit better and get them hitting into, hitting the other way,” Trott added.
"Chasing a target like 220 is always going to be tricky so we needed things to go away in the PowerPlay and we didn't have a good PowerPlay either. When you have a swing of 92 in the PowerPlay [which] they were at and I think we were 45 - that's a huge swing.”
Afghanistan’s Super 8 schedule
20 June 2024 — Afghanistan v India, Barbados, 10:30 AM LOCAL
22 June 2024 — Afghanistan v Australia, St. Vincent, 08:30 PM LOCAL
24 June 2024 — Afghanistan v Bangladesh, St. Vincent, 08:30 PM LOCAL
