Ahmedabad, Feb 11 – Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott described the loss to South Africa as "devastating" for his team and believed that South Africa's fielding was the key factor in their T20 World Cup match on Wednesday.
In what was one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, South Africa defeated Afghanistan after two Super Overs, leaving the Proteas relieved and the Asian team disappointed.
"This shows what our team is capable of. We have some amazing players, and it's disappointing for the team after a tough loss against New Zealand and South Africa," Trott said at the post-match press conference.
Trott, the former England cricketer, said that defeats like this are always difficult.
"These players are always up for the challenge. Today, they should be proud, and while these losses can be hurtful, it's important for us to learn from them," he added.
Trott also praised South Africa's fielding. "Their fielding was excellent, with some crucial catches and run-outs," he said.
Under Trott's leadership, Afghanistan has been performing well in recent years, reaching the semifinals of the last tournament and making the quarterfinals of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
He will be leaving the job after this assignment, but when asked about his time with the side, he preferred to focus on the remaining games in the tournament.
"This was a great snapshot of our team's potential. I'd rather discuss it after the tournament," he said.
Trott expressed his respect for South Africa, having learned the basics of the game in his country of birth.
"I have a lot of respect for South Africa, and I want them to succeed," he said.
Trott also praised his young batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored 84 off 42 balls in the first Super Over and 18 off 4 balls in the second.
"Gurbaz is a talented player, and I want him to be more consistent," Trott said.
