Pybus calls for better wickets as Afghanistan seek T20 growth

Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus admitted his side must improve its strike rate and reduce dot balls, while stressing the need for quality pitches at home to develop its white-ball game after the seven-wicket loss to India in the second T20I here.

Afghanistan lost to India by seven wickets in the second T20I here on Tuesday after posting 164 for seven, allowing the Men in Blue to chase down the target in just 15.2 overs and seal the three-match series 2-0.

“Look, we want good cricket wickets. It’s as simple as that. This is T20 cricket. We’re not trying to make a track spicy for a Test match. We’ve got to be good enough,” Pybus said.

The 62-year-old England-born coach suggested that Afghanistan could look at appointing an international curator to ensure greater consistency in domestic conditions. “I do think that one of the things I would suggest to the board, as we did in the West Indies, is to appoint an international curator to achieve a uniform surface.

“And that was more for when we were travelling around the territories in the West Indies when we were playing international matches, to make sure we were getting the wickets that we wanted. “But I do think we need to make sure that the stadiums have got very specific wickets for our white-ball cricket. We need quality of wickets to develop quality of practice.”

Pybus said Afghanistan’s batting needed to become more aggressive, particularly during the Powerplay. “If we’re going to improve as a T20 side, our strike rate’s got to improve. Our dot ball percentage is too high and our strike rate’s got to improve,” he said.