Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott hopes Sunday’s World Cup win over England will “encourage boys and girls” to take up cricket though the nation’s Taliban rulers ban girls from enjoying sport. The 69-run victory might be considered one of many largest shocks within the historical past of the event as Afghanistan ended a 14-match World Cup shedding streak. “It’s not just cricket that the guys are playing for,” mentioned Trott, who recognised the importance of a win for a nation reeling from current earthquakes and the Taliban’s fractious worldwide relations.

“The guys are very knowledgeable of the things and the hardship that some people are going through because of the natural disaster and for various other reasons.

“And so, if this may give a smile to individuals’s faces but additionally encourage girls and boys to choose up a cricket bat or a cricket ball and get enjoying cricket wherever they’re in Afghanistan, then that is the type of the purpose that is been achieved.”

Before Sunday, Afghanistan had only won one match at the World Cup when they defeated Scotland on their 2015 debut.

They lost all nine matches they played at the 2019 tournament in England, including a 150-run rout at the hands of the hosts.

But having scored 284 on Sunday thanks to dashing opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz‘s blistering 80 and Ikram Alikhil‘s 58, Afghanistan’s bowlers set to work.

Only Harry Brook with 66 confirmed any actual defiance whereas spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan claimed three wickets each as England were dismissed for 215.

– ‘Knock-on effect’ –

The result left both sides with a win and two losses each after three games of the 10-nation tournament.

“This win is critical, actually within the method and by the margin as effectively,” added Trott.

“There’s plenty of confidence that can hopefully come from this, it’s going to have a knock-on impact to all the opposite video games, however not solely on this World Cup, however for the longer term as effectively.”

Trott knows all about World Cup shocks. In 2011, he was part of the England team humbled by Ireland in Bengaluru despite him scoring 92.

“That’s the fantastic thing about the World Cup, is not it? That’s what cricket’s about, it pushes and pulls you a lot emotionally as a participant and as a coach.

“But we can compete with anybody in the world.”

Next up for Afghanistan are New Zealand who’ve three wins from three video games together with seeing off England within the event opener.

New Zealand, runners-up on the final two World Cups, might be favourites.

Trott, nevertheless, believes that his gamers’ publicity to the worldwide recreation by means of Twenty20 franchise cricket has solely served to bolster Afghanistan self-belief.

“I think the fact that a lot of our players have played with the English players in franchise cricket, they get to know the ins and outs of each player so there’s that familiarity and also the confidence,” he defined.

“Sometimes I think when you see big Test playing nations you sort of hold them in high regard. I think playing with players like that you see that they are human and you are just as entitled to win.”

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