The Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced the appointment of Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the national men cricket team. He succeeds Jonathan Trott, who stepped down following Afghanistan campaign in the recent T20 World Cup. The board confirmed that Pybus will oversee coaching responsibilities across all formats as the team prepares for its upcoming international assignments.
Richard Pybus is expected to join the Afghanistan squad ahead of the white ball series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin on March 13 in the United Arab Emirates. His appointment comes at a time when the Afghanistan Cricket Board is aiming to strengthen its long term development strategy and improve performance consistency at the international level.
Pybus brings decades of coaching and administrative experience in international cricket. The England born coach was part of the Pakistan men cricket team support staff during the 1999 ODI World Cup, where Pakistan finished as runners up. Over the years, he has worked in various capacities with several international sides, gaining experience in both coaching and cricket administration.
He also served as head coach of Bangladesh for a brief period and later took up administrative and high performance roles with West Indies cricket. In 2016, Pybus was appointed Director of Cricket at Cricket West Indies. During that period, West Indies achieved notable success by winning the ICC Men T20 World Cup and the ICC Women T20 World Cup. The West Indies Under 19 team also secured the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup during that time.
In 2018, Pybus was appointed as High Performance Director for West Indies and subsequently served as interim head coach. His tenure as Director of Cricket was not without challenges. One of the policies introduced during his time required players to participate in domestic competitions to remain eligible for international selection. The move generated debate within West Indies cricket, as several senior players opted to prioritize participation in global T20 leagues. Despite the controversy, Pybus coaching credentials and administrative experience remain widely recognized in the cricketing community.
For Afghanistan, the appointment signals a renewed focus on structured planning and performance improvement. Under Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan achieved significant milestones, including competitive performances in major tournaments. However, following the latest T20 World Cup campaign, the board decided to move in a new direction.
Afghanistan cricket has grown steadily over the past decade, establishing itself as a competitive side in international cricket. With emerging talent and experienced players in the squad, the role of head coach remains crucial in shaping tactical strategies and long term development pathways.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board expressed confidence that Richard Pybus experience will benefit the team as it prepares for future bilateral series and global tournaments. His immediate challenge will be guiding the squad in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and setting the foundation for sustained progress across formats.
