Afghanistan's Zadran Scores Record 95 in Trott's Finale

Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran delivered a record-breaking performance to honor his departing coach, scoring an unbeaten 95 runs in an 82-run victory over Canada at the T20 World Cup on Thursday.

The 24-year-old opener dedicated his player of the match award to Jonathan Trott, who coached Afghanistan for nearly four years and was managing his final game with the team. Zadran's innings was the highest individual score by an Afghan player in T20 World Cup history.

"He has supported me, he has encouraged us all a lot," Zadran said about Trott after the match. "It's his last day with us, he taught me lots of things. We will all miss him a lot."

Trott, a former England international, transformed Afghanistan's cricket program since joining in July 2022. Under his guidance, the team reached their first T20 World Cup semi-final in 2024 and narrowly missed advancing to the semi-finals at the 2023 50-over World Cup.

Zadran's spectacular performance featured five sixes and seven boundaries as Afghanistan posted 200-4 in Chennai. The commanding total set up spinner Mohammad Nabi to shine with the ball, as he took four wickets for just seven runs to dismantle Canada's batting lineup.

Why This Inspires

Sports farewells are often bittersweet, but this one captured something special about gratitude and growth. Trott took a chance on coaching a team still finding its footing on the world stage, and together they achieved milestones that seemed impossible just years ago.

The 44-year-old former England batsman helped elevate Afghan cricket to new competitive levels while nurturing young talent like Zadran. His players responded with their best when it mattered most, delivering a winning send-off that honored their mentor's legacy.

Afghanistan finished third in Group D with two wins from four matches. While they didn't advance to the Super Eight stage, the team's growth under Trott's leadership has positioned them as genuine contenders in international cricket tournaments.

As for what's next, Trott remains open to opportunities, including potentially coaching England one day. For now, he's taking time to reflect on a coaching journey that brought joy to both mentor and players.

Sometimes the best thank you comes not in words, but in playing your heart out for someone who believed in you.