In a meeting of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, it has been decided that the tenure of the team’s coach, Andy Moles, will not be extended. Moles is a former New Zealand coach, and has been coaching the Afghanistan cricket team since September, 2014. His contract ended after the World T20 Qualifier held in Ireland and Scotland earlier this year.
Moles is a former Warwickshire batsman and has vast experience in coaching teams. Apart from New Zealand, he has also coached the Northern Districts’ domestic side. He was also the coach of the Scotland cricket team that got to the ICC Trophy Title. He has coached Kenya for a short span too. During his spell as Afghanistan’s coach, the team made its first ever appearance at the ICC World Cup this year. The team stood 3rd in the World T20 Qualifier, which helped them book a seat for the ICC World T20 next year in India. Before Moles, Kabir Khan was coaching the side.
Shafiqullah Asmat Stanikzai, the CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, said that the decision was not due to any issue, but due to the growing technical needs of the team. Moreover, the board officials did praise the earnest efforts of Moles and the strong legacy that he would be leaving behind. Stanikzai said, “I wouldn’t say the communication was that big a problem but the understanding between the team and the coach was a bit lacking. But it does not mean that he was not a good coach. He left a real good legacy with Afghanistan cricket and the national team has learnt a lot from him, especially the importance of planning, which was missing from our team. And he helped each and every individual understand how important planning is and how it impacts the game if it is implemented properly.”
