T20 World Cup: Afghanistan head coach unhappy with ICC after semi-final defeat
Rashid Khan’s side lost to South Africa in a one-sided contest in Tarouba, Trinidad
Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott was unhappy with the International Cricket Council (ICC) after his team suffered a humiliating defeat to South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final in Tarouba, Trinidad.
Rashid Khan opted to bat first and his entire team was bundled out after scoring just 56 runs, which the Proteas had no trouble in chasing as they reached home in 8.5 overs at the loss of one wicket.
Trott, talking after the match, expressed his dissatisfaction with the pitch at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy saying that to play a World Cup semi-final on such a surface is not a “fair contest”.
"I don't want to get myself into trouble. But I also don't want to sound a bit like 'sour grapes' but that's not the pitch that you want to have a semi-final of a World Cup on. Plain and simple. It should be a fair contest,” Trott said after the match.
“I'm not saying it should be completely flat with no spin and seam movement, you shouldn't have batters worrying about moving forward and having the ball fly over their head. You should be confident in getting through the line or use their skills. And T20 is all about attacking and scoring runs and taking wickets. Not looking to survive.”
Trott believed that the surface offered more to South Africa than his team before adding that things would have been different if Afghanistan had bowled like the Proteas.
"If the opposition bowled well and gets you into a position after bowling well and through skill, then it's fine to them. Then it's about adapting,” he added.
"If we had bowled the way South Africa had, you could have seen a different second half," he said during the chat with media personnel.
This was the first time Afghanistan played in a T20 World Cup semi-final and both teams had the chance to make way to the final for the first time in history.
South Africa will now face the winners of the second semi-final of the mega event which is to be played at the Providence Stadium between India and England.
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