Richard Pybus Becomes Afghanistan Cricket Team Head Coach

Richard Pybus has officially taken on the role of head coach for the Afghanistan national cricket team, following the departure of Jonathan Trott after the Twenty20 World Cup. Pybus expressed enthusiasm about relocating to Afghanistan, stating, "I've lived in lots of different parts of the world and so I am fine with it." His appointment marks a shift in strategy for the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), which aims to have the coaching staff based in the country to foster closer ties with domestic players. Pybus is set to prepare the team for a limited-overs series against Sri Lanka in March, which includes three Twenty20 matches in Sharjah and three One-Day Internationals in Dubai. He emphasized the team's growth, remarking, "The side's really developed over a period of time... they're a really serious cricket team now and so yeah, very excited." This move is significant as cricket in Afghanistan has been stalled due to ongoing political issues, with the national team currently playing its home fixtures in the UAE.