Afghanistan’s coach, Jonathan Trott, called for his team to improve following their inconsistent batting display in Tuesday’s Asia Cup win over Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi.
Afghanistan struggled at 95-6 in 13 overs before capitalizing on dropped catches to reach a victorious 188-6 after opting to bat in the tournament opener.
Opener Sediqullah Atal led the scoring with 73 but was dropped three times, including in the first over.
“We were lucky with some dropped catches that let us off the hook. We need to improve in certain areas for the upcoming group games,” Trott stated after Afghanistan’s 94-run victory.
“We have a few days off now. We’ve had a busy schedule, six games in 12 days. This win is significant for us, and I’m pleased with the manner of our victory,” he added.
Azmatullah Omarzai blasted 53 from 21 balls before the team restricted Hong Kong to 94-9.
Afghanistan played less than 48 hours after their loss to Pakistan in the tri-series final in Sharjah on Sunday.
Looking ahead to their next match against Bangladesh on September 16, Trott emphasized that the batters need to take more responsibility.
“It’s crucial for some of our players to find form and start scoring runs. That’s very important,” the former England batter noted.
“I would have liked us to bat better. However, Sediq’s and Azmat’s performances showed it’s a good pitch,” he continued.
“I’m mostly satisfied with our total, but there are areas to work on to ensure we’re ready for the remaining games.”
