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Richard Pybus Appointed Afghanistan Head Coach After Trott's Exit

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has officially named Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the men's national team, succeeding Jonathan Trott. Pybus brings a wealth of experience, having been a three-time ICC Cricket World Cup-winning coach and director of cricket. His notable past roles include leading the West Indies during a period of historic success and coaching Pakistan to the 1999 World Cup final. The appointment comes after Afghanistan's disappointing early exit from the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2026.

Key Points: Richard Pybus Named New Afghanistan Cricket Head Coach

  • Pybus replaces Jonathan Trott
  • Three-time ICC World Cup winner
  • Coached West Indies to historic 2016 treble
  • Led Pakistan to 1999 World Cup final
2 min read

Afghanistan appoint Richard Pybus as head coach after Jonathan Trott's exit

Afghanistan Cricket Board appoints experienced coach Richard Pybus, replacing Jonathan Trott. Pybus brings World Cup-winning pedigree.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Pybus as the Head Coach of the Afghanistan National Team. - ACB Statement"

Kabul, Feb 24

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has appointed Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the Afghanistan men's national team on Tuesday. Pybus will replace former coach Jonathan Trott, who stepped down from the role after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Pybus as the Head Coach of the Afghanistan National Team. He will join AfghanAtalan ahead of the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka in March," the board said in a statement.

Pybus has a long coaching experience. He is a three-time ICC Cricket World Cup-winning head coach and director of cricket, having played a central role in establishing high-performance systems across teams.

He previously served as Head Coach, Director of Cricket, and Head of High Performance for the West Indies cricket team between 2013 and 2019. During that period, the West Indies achieved a historic treble in 2016, with their men's, women's, and U-19 teams winning ICC world titles in the same calendar year.

Pybus also coached the Pakistan cricket team and guided them to the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup final, where they finished runners-up to Australia. He has also held a senior leadership role with the Bangladesh cricket team and enjoyed significant success in South African domestic and franchise cricket, securing nine championship titles, which is a national record. He was twice named South African Cricket Coach of the Year.

Renowned for player development, Pybus has worked closely with leading cricketers including Mohammad Rizwan, Faf du Plessis, and Dale Steyn.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan cricket team suffered a shocking group stage exit at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The team was able to win only two matches out of four in the first round and lost to New Zealand and South Africa, who proceeded to the Super 8s stage from the group.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Interesting choice. He's coached Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh... now Afghanistan. He clearly understands subcontinent and emerging cricket. Hope he brings stability. The team has so much passion but needs consistency. All the best to him and the AfghanAtalan!
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Aman W
His resume is seriously impressive – World Cup finals, multiple titles. But let's be honest, coaching Afghanistan comes with unique challenges beyond cricket. If the board gives him full support and doesn't interfere, he can do wonders. The talent is definitely there.
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Sarah B
As a cricket fan, I'm always happy to see experienced coaches helping grow the game in newer nations. Afghanistan's rise has been one of the best stories in cricket. Pybus's work with player development could be exactly what they need after a shaky World Cup.
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Vikram M
Respectfully, I'm a bit skeptical. Another foreign coach? Trott also had a good reputation. The problem isn't always the coach; it's the system and perhaps the pressure on the players. They need mental conditioning as much as technical coaching. Hope Pybus focuses on that too.
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Kavya N
Wishing him all the best! Afghanistan team brings so much joy to cricket fans here in India. We love watching them play. If he helped develop players like Rizwan, just imagine what he can do with the Afghan spinners! Exciting times ahead for cricket. 🏏

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