The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has shortlisted three candidates for the national team head coach position following Jonathan Trott’s exit after Afghanistan failed to qualify for the Super 8 stage at the ICC T20 World Cup.
ACB Chief Executive Naseeb Khan told Cricbuzz that two of the candidates are from South Africa and one is Asian. Interviews have already taken place, but Naseeb did not name any of them, saying contracts are yet to be finalised.
The ACB plans to announce the appointment before Afghanistan’s white-ball series against Sri Lanka in Dubai, which is scheduled shortly after the T20 World Cup concludes.
Trott Out, Search Underway
Trott’s exit followed Afghanistan’s group-stage elimination from the T20 World Cup. The team did not make it to the Super 8 stage, and the ACB moved quickly to begin the recruitment process. Naseeb said the board’s HR and technical departments are currently handling the hiring. “Our HR and technical department are currently working on the process of recruiting our next head coach,” he said.
Three candidates have been shortlisted and interviewed. The ACB has not disclosed their names.
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Coaches Will Be Required to Live in Afghanistan
The ACB has added a residency requirement to the new coaching contracts. The head coach and overseas support staff will be required to be based in Afghanistan when no international series are scheduled, not working from abroad between assignments.
Naseeb said this is meant to keep coaches directly involved in the country’s domestic cricket scene. “We have stated in the contract that their duty station will be Afghanistan,” he said. When there are no series, he expects the coaching staff to focus on identifying and addressing the national team’s weaknesses and working with domestic players.
The requirement is a shift from how many boards structure overseas coaching appointments, where coaches typically work remotely between tours. The ACB’s position is that domestic observation needs to be a part of the head coach’s role, not an optional extra.
Appointment Expected Before Sri Lanka Series
Naseeb said the board expects to finalise the appointment in time for the Sri Lanka series. “We will announce the appointment of the new head coach before the Sri Lanka series once the hiring is finalised,” he said.
The series in Dubai is Afghanistan’s first scheduled assignment after the T20 World Cup. The ACB wants a permanent appointment in place before the series begins rather than going in with an interim arrangement.
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The Profile the ACB Is After
Based on Naseeb’s comments, the ACB is looking for a coach who will stay engaged with Afghan cricket year-round, not just during international windows. The domestic residency clause makes that expectation explicit. The board wants someone who watches local players, works on the team’s technical gaps during downtime, and treats the role as a full-time presence rather than a part-time assignment.
The shortlist of two South Africans and one Asian candidate gives no clear indication yet of which direction the ACB is leaning. The appointment will be confirmed once contract discussions are concluded.
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