KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghanistan Cricket Board has extended the contract of Jonathan Trott, the national team’s head coach, through 2025, citing his instrumental role in the team’s recent successes on the global stage.
The announcement follows a 2.5-year tenure during which Mr. Trott oversaw significant milestones for Afghan cricket, including standout performances in major international tournaments.
Under his leadership, Afghanistan achieved historic victories at the ICC One-Day International Cricket World Cup, defeating teams such as England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands. The national team’s efforts secured them a place among the top eight teams in the competition, earning Afghanistan their first-ever qualification for the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled for 2025.
Afghanistan also excelled at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, winning five matches, including key victories over New Zealand, Australia, and Bangladesh. For the first time in the team’s history, they advanced to the semifinals of the tournament, a feat attributed in part to Mr. Trott’s guidance.
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board wishes Mr. Jonathan Trott continued success as he leads Afghan cricket to new heights in 2025,” the board said in a statement.
The national team, known as AfghanAtalan, is currently touring Zimbabwe for an all-format series that includes three T20 matches, three ODIs, and two Test matches. Mr. Trott will accompany the squad for the ODI segment but will be unavailable for the T20 and Test matches due to personal commitments.
In his absence, Hamid Hassan will assume the role of head coach, while Nawroz Mangal, who recently guided Afghanistan’s Emerging Asia Cup team to victory, will serve as assistant head coach, the cricket board said.
