Asia Cup 2025 : 'It Was a Very Disappointing Loss' – Afghanistan head coach reflects on basic errors agnaist Sri Lanka

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 18:08:26 GMT

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott expressed his disappointment following his team’s defeat against Sri Lanka in Match 11 of the Asia Cup 2025. The Rashid Khan-led side lost a do-or-die encounter by six wickets, ending their campaign in the continental tournament. Trott, a former English batter, praised Mohammad Nabi and the batting lineup for posting a competitive total but stressed that mistakes in bowling and fielding cost the team dearly.

“It was a very disappointing loss and a hard one to swallow. We felt we were in a good position, especially after Nabi’s heroics helped us reach 170 [169]. The batters actually played well, but we let them off with our bowling and fielding,” Trott told India Today. He emphasized that Afghanistan’s inability to start strongly with the ball gave Sri Lanka an early advantage in the match.

Trott also acknowledged the opposition’s achievement, noting that Sri Lanka became the second team from Group B to advance to the Super Four stage. “We didn’t start well in the powerplay with the ball and gave them an early advantage. Too many basic errors, whether in batting, bowling, or fielding cost us. You don’t win games at cricket, certainly in tournaments like this with those mistakes. Full credit to Bangladesh, who go through along with Sri Lanka,” he added.

Nabi’s Late Blitz Not Enough as Sri Lanka Prevails

Afghanistan decided to bat first and made 169 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Besides that, Nabi (60* off 22) made the innings explosive, scoring five sixes in the last over of the innings. His innings could not prevent Sri Lanka from winning. Kusal Mendis (74* off 52) and Kamindu Mendis (26* off 13) played a leading role in scoring the runs and led the team to an easy victory.

On the bowling side of the game, Nuwan Thushara was tremendous for Sri Lanka as he picked up four wickets (4/18 in four overs), while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad conceded 117 runs in 9.4 overs. With Sri Lanka's stronger powerplay of 53/2 in the first six overs, it seemed to set the standard for the chase, as well as expose the failings of Afghanistan in all three departments.

'Didn't Like His Acting' - Ex-England star compares Shubman Gill to Virat Kohli after heated exchange on day 3 of ENG vs IND 3rd Test

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 12:33:26 GMT

Shubman Gill, the captain of India, displayed a fierce attitude on Day 3 of the third Test at Lord's, when he accused the England opener Zak Crawley of wasting time. Crawley went down clutching his hand towards the end of the day, and Gill didn't like this and burst into the England batter's face and gave him some word action as well. The tense moment escalated, prompting Ben Duckett to step in and calm things down as tempers flared during the final over.

Reacting to the incident, former England batter Jonathan Trott offered sharp criticism of Gill’s behavior, drawing comparisons to ex-India captain Virat Kohli. In a chat with broadcaster JioStar, Trott said, “A little bit of gamesmanship—and for me, we don't know what went on when England was fielding, whether they were dishing it out. But I didn't like the acting from Shubman Gill. As a captain, you set the tone, and as I have said before, pointing fingers and getting confrontational feels reminiscent of a previous captain, who used to get in the opposition's face. That is not what the game should be about.”

Trott acknowledged the competitiveness of Test cricket but urged players, especially captains, to maintain composure. “I am all for being competitive and tough on the field, but sometimes you have got to rise above it,” he said. Still, the former England player admitted the drama adds spice to the contest: “That said, it certainly sets up a fascinating day tomorrow.”

Praise for Rahul and Pant; Warning Ahead of Day 4

Shifting focus to the cricketing action, Trott lauded KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant for their impressive performances in the first innings. “Just the way they put the bad balls away—it was impressive… they knew how to defend, played good, solid shots, and picked up singles when available. But the key was putting away the bad deliveries,” he noted, calling them quality players who know how to weather pressure.

Looking ahead to Day 4, Trott emphasized the importance of surviving the new ball spell from Jasprit Bumrah. “England will have to see off the new ball early… They must ensure Bumrah doesn't get into a rhythm—playing straight and tight will be key,” he warned. Trott noted the weather was expected to be fine and predicted a full day of high-stakes cricket, adding that England would need clear plans to counter some of the threats from India’s bowling attack.

Jonathan trott

Asia Cup 2025 : 'It Was a Very Disappointing Loss' – Afghanistan head coach reflects on basic errors agnaist Sri Lanka

Nabi’s Late Blitz Not Enough as Sri Lanka Prevails

'Didn't Like His Acting' - Ex-England star compares Shubman Gill to Virat Kohli after heated exchange on day 3 of ENG vs IND 3rd Test

Praise for Rahul and Pant; Warning Ahead of Day 4