The Afghanistan Cricket Board on Tuesday announced the appointment of Richard Pybus, a veteran international coach from Britain, as head coach of the national team.
Pybus is set to join the team ahead of a white-ball series against Sri Lanka in March, according to the board’s statement.
Pybus brings decades of international coaching experience. He previously served as head coach and director of cricket for the West Indies from 2013 to 2019, overseeing the high-performance program during a period in which the West Indies men’s, women’s and Under-19 teams each won ICC World Cup titles in 2016.
He also coached Pakistan’s national team and led it to the 1999 Cricket World Cup final, where it lost to Australia. In addition, he has held a senior leadership role with Bangladesh’s cricket program and has coached extensively in South Africa’s domestic and franchise competitions, where teams under his guidance won nine championship titles, a national record.
The board said Pybus has worked closely with several prominent international players, including Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and South Africa’s Faf du Plessis and Dale Steyn.
Beyond coaching, Pybus holds a doctorate in professional practice from Middlesex University in London, where his research focused on high-performance systems in sport. He also holds postgraduate and undergraduate degrees from British universities and has multiple professional coaching certifications.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board said it welcomed Pybus and expressed confidence in his leadership as the team prepares for upcoming international competitions.
