Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott launched a scathing critique of the pitch used for their T20 World Cup semifinal against South Africa, declaring it unsuitable for a match of such significance. The pitch, characterized by unpredictable bounce and lateral seam movement, proved a nightmare for batters, resulting in Afghanistan’s dismal total of 56 runs – the lowest score in a T20 World Cup semifinal. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy stadium in Tarouba witnessed a struggle for both teams, with even South Africa facing difficulties despite comfortably chasing down the target in 8.5 overs.
Trott, a former England batsman, expressed his frustration, stating that the pitch took away any chance of a competitive contest. He clarified that he wasn’t advocating for completely flat pitches, but emphasized the importance of a surface that allows for skillful batting and attacking gameplay. “I’m not saying it should be flat completely with no spin and no seam movement. I’m saying you shouldn’t have batsmen worrying about going forward,” Trott explained. “They should be confident in foot movement and be able to hit through the line or use their skills. T20 is about attacking, scoring runs and taking wickets, not looking to survive.”
Throughout the tournament, the Tarouba venue has provided assistance to both pace and spin bowlers, with only one team exceeding 100 runs in the five World Cup matches hosted there. Trott acknowledged that South Africa’s bowling performance was exceptional, but he maintained that the pitch’s unpredictable nature significantly impacted the match. “If the opposition bowled well and got to a position where they bowled very, very well, and it’s through skill, then that’s fine, and then it’s about adapting to that,” he said. “But once the ball starts misbehaving and rolling if we had bowled as straight as South Africa had, I think you would have seen an interesting second half as well.”
Afghanistan’s journey to the semifinal was marked by a thrilling last-minute victory over Bangladesh in a rain-affected match that extended into the early hours of Tuesday. Subsequent travel delays and lack of sleep further added to the team’s physical and emotional fatigue. Trott acknowledged the challenges faced by his players, emphasizing that the demanding schedule and lack of rest shouldn’t be used as excuses. Despite the difficult circumstances, he highlighted the team’s resilience and determination to fight against adversity.
However, Trott ultimately conceded that South Africa’s superior performance and skillful bowling tactics were ultimately responsible for Afghanistan’s defeat. He expressed hope that the semifinal loss would serve as a valuable learning experience for the team, which has made significant strides in the past five years. He emphasized the need for the batting unit to learn from their shortcomings and to adapt to challenging conditions and bowling attacks.
The Afghan batting lineup struggled throughout the tournament, with their top two run-getters, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, failing to contribute in the semifinal. Trott acknowledged the team’s need to address the lack of consistency from other batters and to find a solution to their scoring woes. “Nobody else has got runs. We need to find a reason for that,” he concluded.
