Afghanistan’s head coach Jonathan Trott has expressed strong optimism about the UAE cricket team ahead of Asia Cup 2025. Trott, who will be coaching the Gulf Giants in the ILT20, believes the UAE squad will soon achieve a significant breakthrough on the international cricket stage. He praised the talent he observed in the developmental tournaments, stating the league is instrumental in improving cricket standards in the region.
As quoted by Sports Tak, he shared, “This is my first year with the Gulf Giants, and I’m very excited about that. Seeing all the local and natural talent is very good. Exciting times for us, certainly with the auction coming up, so a lot to get right. I’ve been very happy with the side we have in our development team, who have been playing some good cricket. And it’s always good to see what the other opposition teams are up to and the players that they have ahead of the auction.”
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ILT20 Correlates With UAE Success
The 44-year-old coach also highlighted how the ILT20 success has correlated with the UAE qualifying for Asia Cup for the first time in a decade. He said, “I’m not surprised when I see the quality of cricket and quality of players here. The UAE side is already very good, and I think they’ll be the next team to make a real breakthrough on the international scene. They have the facilities, they have the desire and passion for the game, and they’re certainly not lacking in players. It’s a good recipe for success.”
Trott drew a comparison between UAE’s current progress and Afghanistan’s rise in world cricket, noting the benefits franchise cricket brought to Afghan players by working with top coaches and players.
“Afghanistan is certainly a side that has benefited from franchise cricket. Their players got to work with the best coaches, play alongside the best players, and learn their habits on and off the field. The UAE players will now have the same advantage, seeing the likes of Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and other international stars up close. That can only be a huge benefit, and I’m excited to be part of it and roll up my sleeves with the Gulf Giants,” he concluded.
Currently, UAE, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are engaged in a tri-series as part of their preparations for Asia Cup 2025, slated to begin on September 9. UAE will open their Asia Cup campaign against India on September 10, followed by matches against Oman on September 15 and Pakistan on September 17.
Afghanistan Asia Cup 2025 Squad – Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.