The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has officially appointed Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the Afghanistan men’s national cricket team, marking the beginning of a fresh chapter following Jonathan Trott’s departure. The announcement comes shortly after Afghanistan’s group-stage exit at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Pybus replaces Trott, who served a four-year tenure and guided Afghanistan to significant milestones, including a historic semifinal appearance in the 2024 T20 World Cup and a strong campaign in the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, after the team’s early exit in the 2026 edition, the board opted for a leadership transition.
Richard Pybus brings vast international coaching experience spanning over two decades. The 61-year-old British coach previously guided Pakistan to the final of the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup, where they finished runners-up.
His global exposure includes senior leadership roles with the West Indies between 2013 and 2019, where he designed and implemented a high-performance system that resulted in a historic triple World Cup triumph in 2016, men’s, women’s, and U19 titles in the same calendar year.
Beyond international cricket, Pybus has enjoyed domestic and franchise success in South Africa, winning nine championship titles and earning multiple Coach of the Year recognitions.
He has also worked closely with elite cricketers such as Mohammad Rizwan, Faf du Plessis, and Dale Steyn, contributing significantly to their development.
Academically, Pybus strengthens his credibility with an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University, London (2022) for research in high-performance systems. He also holds advanced coaching certifications, including a Level 4 qualification from Cricket South Africa.
His first assignment with Afghanistan will be a white-ball series against Sri Lanka, starting March 13 in the UAE. The series is expected to test his immediate impact on a talented Afghan squad featuring experienced and emerging players.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board expressed confidence that Pybus’s structured approach and high-performance background will help the team regain momentum and prepare strongly for upcoming ICC tournaments.
With this appointment, Afghanistan signals its intent to build a long-term performance-driven system aimed at sustained global success.
