Afghanistan extend Trott's contract by one year ahead of Champions Trophy

NEW DELHI:  Jonathan Trott will continue as Afghanistan's head coach for another year after the country's cricket board extended his contract through 2025.

The announcement comes a few months ahead of next year's Champions Trophy, where Afghanistan will make their maiden appearance.

The 43-year-old former England batter has been Afghanistan's head coach since July 2022, and under his guidance, the team has made impressive strides in international cricket.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board wishes Trott the best of luck for his next year's stint with Afghan Atalan as he strives to elevate Afghanistan cricket further on the global stage," the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said in a statement.

Under Trott, the team has achieved significant milestones, including reaching their first-ever T20 World Cup semi-final this year with stunning victories over Australia and New Zealand.

Afghanistan also enjoyed a memorable ODI World Cup last year in India, where they stunned England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, finishing among the top eight teams to secure their maiden appearance in the Champions Trophy.

Additionally, Afghanistan recently triumphed in bilateral ODI series against South Africa and Bangladesh in Sharjah, winning both by 2-1 margins.

Since Trott's appointment, Afghanistan have played 34 ODIs, winning 14, and in 44 T20Is they have 20 victories.

The team is currently touring Zimbabwe for an all-format series, which includes three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests.

However, Trott will accompany the squad only for the ODI matches, as he will remain unavailable for the T20Is and Tests due to personal commitments, the ACB added.

In Trott's absence, Hamid Hassan will step up as head coach, while Nawroz Mangal, who recently guided Afghanistan to victory in the Emerging Asia Cup, will serve as the assistant head coach for the series, it added.