Afghanistan have appointed Richard Pybus as their new head coach, replacing Jonathan Trott. Trott’s tenure ended after the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup, where Afghanistan failed to progress to the Super 8 stage following defeats to New Zealand and South Africa in the group phase.
Pybus will join the national side ahead of their upcoming multi-format white-ball series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates. The tour begins with a three-match T20I series in Sharjah from March 13, followed by a three-match ODI series in Dubai, starting March 20.
PYBUS HELPS PAKISTAN CRICKET GROW
Richard Pybus served as Pakistan’s head coach on multiple occasions between 1999 and 2003. He initially worked with the team during the 1999 Cricket World Cup, where Pakistan reached the final with his support as a consultant before he later assumed the full-time role. Pakistan lost the final by eight wickets at Lord’s Cricket Ground, with Australia claiming the title for the second time.
Pybus’s tenure included several bilateral series, but it concluded following Pakistan’s early exit from the 2003 World Cup. His time in charge was marked by periods of upheaval and disruption, including administrative changes and security concerns that impacted tours. He remains notable as one of Pakistan’s few foreign head coaches during that era.
He has also played a significant role in the development of individual players, including Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan.
PYBUS’ OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Richard has played an influential role in West Indies cricket across multiple capacities. He initially joined as Director of Cricket in 2013 on a three-year contract, tasked with strengthening regional systems and development pathways. Returning in 2018 as High Performance Director, he concentrated on talent identification and nurturing players from the Under-19 level through to the senior team.
In early 2019, Pybus took over as interim head coach, guiding the Windies to a home Test series win over England and a drawn ODI series before administrative changes brought his tenure to a close.
During this phase, he also designed and oversaw the high-performance structure that culminated in a historic 2016 treble, when the West Indies Men’s, Women’s, and Under-19 teams all claimed ICC World Cup titles in the same calendar year — a first in international cricket history.
PYBUS SHINES IN ACADEMICS
Pybus is widely respected not only for his coaching career but also for his academic and performance expertise. In 2022, he earned a Doctorate in Professional Practice from Middlesex University, London, for his research on the “Optimal Performance System,” a framework focused on delivering consistent success across diverse high-performance environments.
He also holds a postgraduate degree from the University of Greenwich and a BA (Hons) from the University of Portsmouth. A Level Four CSA Certified Coach, Pybus additionally possesses an Executive Coaching Certificate from the Neuro Leadership Institute and qualifications as a Certified Performance Coach and Master’s Level NLP Practitioner.
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