Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott was left surprised after mistakenly suggesting Bangladesh had previously won the Asia Cup, during a press conference in Abu Dhabi on 15 September ahead of his side’s clash with the Tigers.
Asked whether Bangladesh would be under pressure in Tuesday’s group match, Trott initially claimed: “Yes, I think they will be under pressure, but if you look at history, Bangladesh have won this competition a few times, the Asia Cup, and… sorry, they’ve been finalists. I was certain they had won it. I thought they had won the 50-over Asia Cup.”
When corrected by a journalist, Trott repeatedly asked for confirmation before checking Google himself to verify that Bangladesh had never lifted the trophy.
Despite the slip, Trott praised Bangladesh, noting they had several genuine match-winners and warning his players not to underestimate them. “I think Bangladesh have some players who are true match-winners. So for me, it’s a good challenge and a good test for us tomorrow,” he said.
Trott added that Afghanistan had benefitted from a five-day break and would head into the game mentally and physically refreshed after the energy-sapping conditions earlier in the tournament.
Victory over Bangladesh would take Afghanistan a step closer to the Super Four stage, something Trott feels his side are well placed to achieve. “If we win tomorrow and qualify for the next round, there’ll be a lot of matches in quick succession. I think the schedule actually works in our favour, as long as we play well tomorrow and get the job done properly in Abu Dhabi.”
