New Delhi, September 16 (Daily Kiran) : Richard Pybus, head coach of the Afghanistan cricket team, expressed disappointment following his team’s seven-wicket defeat to India in the second T20 match at Arun Jaitley Stadium. He noted that the team’s batting fell short, with a score of only 159 proving inadequate.
In a post-match press conference, Pybus stated, “That wicket offered bowlers a chance to defend a total of 200. I believe we bowled well, especially Nabi in the early overs, and Noor also performed admirably. However, we didn’t set a defendable total. It was indeed a beautiful wicket.”
He acknowledged that the bowlers had little margin for error, particularly as India raced to nearly 80 runs during the powerplay. “We didn’t bowl as well as we wanted in the powerplay. India scored almost 80 runs in the first six overs, which relieved the pressure. While Nabi bowled two excellent overs, we still conceded too many runs,” he said.
Pybus emphasized the importance of the toss, suggesting that chasing on such a wicket is preferable. “We need to perform well regardless of the toss outcome. I felt our focus was good, but we didn’t execute it fully,” he explained.
He praised Rashid Khan’s performance, saying, “I’m sure he will appreciate this. Rashid played beautifully as an all-rounder. We have three all-rounders, and he batted exceptionally well today.”
Concerns linger over Afghanistan’s top order, with Pybus expecting more from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. “Ibrahim did well in this match. We need to improve our strike rate. Gurbaz is typically our most explosive player in the top order. I know he is disappointed and prefers big opportunities. I’m confident he will perform well in the third game,” he added.
Pybus highlighted the challenge of developing young international players into consistent performers at the highest level. “Playing against top teams is a learning process. We have players without experience in India, and performing in front of a stadium like this is a significant event for them. They are learning to manage the mental aspects of the game, which comes with experience,” he noted.
He pointed out the gap in experience between Afghanistan and elite teams like India. “We are competing against some of the world’s best white-ball cricketers. This is an educational experience for our players,” he said.
On Rashid’s batting position, Pybus remarked, “We need to see if Rashid can apply pressure on the opposition by batting higher up the order. He was fantastic in this match.”
The coach acknowledged that Afghanistan’s average powerplay score is around 45, emphasizing the need for improvement in this area. He indicated that enhancing this statistic will be a primary focus in the coming months.
Despite hosting the series, Pybus stressed the need for quality wickets rather than just preparing surfaces tailored to the team’s needs. “We need good cricket wickets. It’s that simple. This is T20 cricket; we’re not trying to spice up tracks for Test matches. We need to be better,” he stated.
He suggested that Afghanistan consider appointing an international curator to ensure consistent quality in domestic conditions, which could ultimately aid player development. “It’s essential to have exceptional wickets for our white-ball cricket. We need good quality wickets to improve our practice,” he concluded.
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