'I think we could've bowled a little better at times...' - Jonathan Trott analyzes areas to improve ahead of Super 8s

Although Afghanistan's qualification for only their third knockout stage in the T20 World Cup was a commendable achievement, especially given that they navigated the formidable "Group of Death" (Group C), their final league match against the co-hosts, the West Indies, ended on a somber note. This encounter, which resulted in a heavy defeat, is one they would prefer to erase from memory, particularly with their Super 8s campaign set to commence in a couple of days' time (June 20, 2024).

Pursuing an imposing target of 217 for victory, the Afghan team managed to amass a mere 116 runs before being comprehensively bowled out in the 17th over. This culminated not only in a staggering 104-run defeat but also marked their second-largest loss in terms of runs in their 14-year-long T20I history.

According to Cricbuzz, the head coach of Afghanistan, Jonathan Trott, expressed that the team could've delivered a more cohesive bowling performance. He specifically referenced the powerplay, particularly the chaotic fourth over bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai, which conceded 36 runs. Despite this, Trott believed the bowling was generally effective. He highlighted the period between overs 6 and 15, during which only 63 runs were given away, as evidence that the team successfully restricted the flow of runs when they bowled in the perfect areas. 

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"I think we could have bowled a little better at times, obviously the powerplay wasn't ideal - but, I think we bowled well after that. The next ten-odd overs went for something like 60-odd, so it showed that if we did bowl well, we could restrict them," stated Trott, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Being able to get out of an over...: Trott

When asked about areas for improvement, the former English cricketer emphasized the need for Afghanistan's bowlers to enhance their damage-limitation skills. He stressed the importance of maintaining composure and closing out overs effectively, particularly when a bowler has had a poor start. Trott cited the fourth and 18th overs of the West Indies innings, during which the Afghans collectively conceded 60 runs, significantly shifting the momentum in favour of the West Indies.

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So, where can Afghanistan improve? "If we don't start an over well, being able to get out of an over and try and stop that. Today, we had two overs in total, went for 60 runs, and that swung the game massively," added Trott.