On Tuesday, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) named Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the men’s team. This announcement followed Afghanistan’s early exit from the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Pybus takes the helm of a skilled Afghanistan squad, succeeding Jonathan Trott. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position, and his “Optimal Performance” coaching method has been shaped through his extensive career in cricket administration.
Born on July 5, 1964, in North East England, Pybus’s playing career was cut short due to injuries. He transitioned into coaching in his mid-twenties and became known as a strategic expert in the sport.
Pybus began his coaching career at Selborne College in East London, South Africa, from 1991 to 1995. He then moved on to provincial cricket, becoming the coach of the Border cricket team in South Africa before taking on International roles.
His first international position was with Pakistan before the 1999 World Cup, where he guided the team to the ICC tournament final in his first term.
In the early 2000s, he managed several domestic teams in South Africa. Under his guidance, the Titans secured back-to-back MTN Domestic Championship titles, and Pybus received the CSA (Cricket South Africa) Coach of the Year award.
Pybus succeeded Stuart Law as Bangladesh’s head coach in May 2012, though a contract dispute led to his departure after three months. He was then appointed as the director of cricket for the West Indies for a three-year term starting November 1, 2013. His book, ‘Optimal Performance’, was published in 2017 after more than 25 years in coaching elite teams and players.
During the 2016 season, West Indies cricket made history by winning three ICC titles, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, showcasing Pybus as a leading figure in cricket administration.
This was the only instance in international cricket history where one nation claimed three ICC championships across different formats in a single year.
Pybus will start his new role with Afghanistan during the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, beginning March 13, 2026. The key challenge ahead is whether he can instill stability and consistency in a talented Afghanistan team that has faced challenges in maintaining form.
