After a 149 run difference defeat in the 16th match of the World Cup 2023 against new Zealand, the Afghanistan coach opens on the reason for loss.
Jonathan Trott on defeat against New Zealand
The Afghanistan coach was upset on the defeat against New Zealand and pointed out under-par catching as the reason for the result. The have dropped around five catches at Chepauk. The catches were said to be high scorers Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips.
Together they scored 144 runs which is the second highest partnership score for New Zealand in World Cups.
New Zealand is scheduled to play in the 16th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 against Afghanistan on October 18 at MA Chidambaram Stadium. Winning the toss, Afghanistan chose to bowl where Devon Conway and Will Young opened the innings for New Zealand, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman opened the bowling attack.
Mujeeb dismissed Devon Conway for 20 runs while Will Young had an impressive start as he scored 54 runs on 64 deliveries while Rachin Ravindra scored 32 runs on 41 deliveries and was sent out by Azmatullah.
With the dismissal of Daryl Mitchell for 1 run by Rashid Khan, Tom Latham scored 68 runs on 74 deliveries including 3 boundaries and 2 sixes. Glenn Phillips scored 71 runs on 80 deliveries that include four boundaries and four sixes.
With Chapman and Santner’s 25 and 7 runs, New Zealand scored 288 runs on 50 overs losing 6 wickets. With the target of 289 runs, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran opened the innings while Trent Boult opened the bowling attack.
The openers failed to create an impression as they were sent out with low figures. Gurbaz scored 11 runs and sent out by Matt Henry while Ibrahim Zadran was sent out with 14 runs by Trent Boult.
Hashmatullah Shahidi was sent out with 8 runs by Lockie Ferguson. With his dismissal of Shahidi, Afghanistan was down to last seven wickets scoring only 95 runs on 25 overs.
Azmatullah Omarzai scored 27 runs and was sent out with Trent Boult and Ikram Alikhil scored 19* runs. Other batters were sent out with low figures by the intense bowling attack from New Zealand bowlers.
Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson dismissed three wickets each while Trent Boult dismissed two wickets. By the end, Afghanistan scored 139 runs losing all 10 wickets on 35th over.
While speaking after the match Trott said, “I would say that it’s not the pressure. I think it’s been happening a bit too much recently as well since I’ve been in charge.”
“So, if you look at the statistics, unfortunately, the side is right at the bottom with regards to catching. So, that needs to improve. I think it’s something we’ve worked really hard on in training. We just need to do it in games now,” Trott explained.
“I think they (Latham and Phillips) played well. But credit must go to the way they held the innings together because it could have got a lot worse for them. They steadied the ship and got themselves to a defendable total,” he said.
“Well, we were just waiting until the state of the ball…when Rashid feels like he can grip it because he obviously needs to spin it both ways and when the ball is not as new and not as slippery.”
“We were bowling well, I thought, and containing them decently. Then Azmat came on and changed the course of the game with two wickets in an over. And then, Rash (Rashid) got a wicket for himself,” he added.
“I certainly did not feel it’s a 130-odd all-out pitch. Yes, it did spin a little bit more towards the end. But I still feel we were taking the spinners for nearly five, six an over.
“The seamers actually did all the damage for them (NZ), and I think we were 28 for 2 at the end of the first power play, which when you’re chasing 280, is probably going to put a lot of pressure on the players down the order,” he concluded.
With this defeat, Afghanistan will be playing their next match against Pakistan on October 23 at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
