PUNE: If one has watched Afghanistan in the tournament, by now it is hard to miss one of the most important members of the squad — the whiteboard. It tells a lot more than just numbers written on it. Ask Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott and he will elaborate on the practical purpose of the 4x6 piece of wood.
"When we are batting first, it is different. It's more a case of communication and the targets will change," Trott said in the post-match press conference after beating Sri Lanka — their third win of the tournament — on Monday.
"When it's chasing, the target obviously never changes, unless it's Duckworth Lewis, obviously. There is more focus with regard to breaking it down into smaller targets. But sometimes, like the Pakistan game, chasing 280 and starting on zero, it's a long way away. But if you break it down, it seems a lot more manageable."
It might seem like an old cliche, but breaking it down to one match at a time is how Afghanistan has run its campaign so far. Trott simplifies the approach and gives credit for the resurgence of the change in culture in the squad. "I think for me, it's about creating a culture, training with the players, feeling like they can grow and develop their technique, but also the mental side of the game. Cricket is such a mental game. I try and create with the other coaches all the time, how can we make the practice better or tougher for them so that when it comes to playing the game, it feels similar," he said.
And it has worked. There is a significant difference in the mentality of the squad. The belief in the squad has changed the course of the WC as Afghanistan has become the story of the competition. "From the beginning of the tournament, we have that belief in ourselves of what we can achieve in this tournament," Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan captain said in Pune.
"As a team, we have that talent. We have also played more matches coming to the World Cup, which is the third WC for us now. If you look at our players-batters or bowlers, we have that talent. So why shouldn't we believe?
"Shahidi's body language oozed with confidence. That confidence has come after missing out on close games leading up to the WC in India. One of the close finishes that still haunts the captain and coach was the Asia Cup fixture against Sri Lanka in Lahore. Afghanistan had missed their entry to Super Fours by just two runs. "It was a tough night for us when we went out of the Asia Cup, but today we are pleased with this performance," he added.
"We have been so close. In the Asia Cup, we got eliminated in very unfortunate circumstances. We almost chased down that 290 in 37 overs against Sri Lanka. Before that, we played a series against Pakistan where we should have won a few games there. I remember saying before the World Cup, we just got to win a few close games and get that belief. The belief in themselves as a player, in their methods as individuals, and also as a team," Trott's message must have made an imprint on the players as his team left Pune with a win against another former WC champion.
For the captain and the coach, this is not enough. They are ecstatic with the result, but not content with it. They have their eyes set on the semi-finals. Placed sixth in the table after Pakistan's win against Bangladesh, Afghanistan have a chance of making history. If they win all three of their remaining fixtures, they could finish in the last four for the first time after not winning a single match in the 2019 edition in England.
However, it is not going to be easy and Trott knows it too. "I say to the players, the beauty of cricket is if you're playing well, the challenge then is to back it up in the next game. So, the challenge for us is going to be able to start again against the Netherlands at 0-0," Trott declared his intentions.
Shahidi on the other hand, sounded more eager to take on the challenge. "This is not the end for us. We are happy with the wins but that is not enough for us. Our aim is much higher than this," Shahidi said. Starting Friday, Afghanistan will face the Netherlands, Australia, and South Africa. With their best-ever result in the single edition of WC already in the bag, Afghanistan are en route to deliver the fireworks with the 'belief' and the 'white-board' by their side.