Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott has criticized the pitch used in the South Africa vs. Afghanistan match in Trinidad, saying it was unfit for a T20 World Cup semi-final. Afghans faced a tough loss, scoring only 56 runs, the lowest ever in a T20 World Cup semi-final, against a dominant South African team.
Jonathan Trott’s discontentment on Semis pitch
Trott expressed his disappointment at the quality of the pitch during the post-match press conference, emphasizing that it should have provided a fair contest between bat and ball. He highlighted the uneven bounce and lateral seam movement that favoured the bowlers, making it challenging for both batting sides.
“I don’t want to get myself into trouble. But I also don’t want to sound a bit like ‘sour grapes’ but that’s not the pitch that you want to have a semi-final of a World Cup on. Plain and simple. It should be a fair contest. I’m not saying it should be completely flat with no spin and seam movement, you shouldn’t have batters worrying about moving forward and having the ball fly over their head. You should be confident in getting through the line or using your skills. And T20 is all about attacking and scoring runs and taking wickets. Not looking to survive,” said Trott.
“If the opposition bowled well and gets you into a position after bowling well and through skill, then it’s fine to them. Then it’s about adapting. If we had bowled the way South Africa had, you could have seen a different second half.”
Jonathan Trott believes in his team to achieve greater accolades despite a heart-breaking semi-final loss.#T20WorldCup | More ⬇️https://t.co/phOy8SXqsu
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 27, 2024
Trott’s remarks shed light on the importance of maintaining balanced conditions in high-stakes matches, ensuring an exciting and competitive spectacle for fans and players alike. South Africa’s convincing victory secured their place in the World Cup final, while Afghanistan’s remarkable journey came to an end.
Also Read: Swimmers Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu have secured their places for the Paris Olympics
