Afghanistan’s coach has hailed the Asia Cup a great event for his team, saying his boys have gained a great deal of experience.
“I’d say we’ve now got the experience, the boys know what to do going ahead. It has been a brilliant tournament for us,” Phil Simmons in an interview.
Hours earlier, Afghanistan pulled off an incredible draw with India in Asia Cup’s last Super Four match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Dubai.
Wisden, a famous cricket magazine, quoted the coach as hailing the tournament a success for Afghans. Improvement had sprung from a change in mindset, he said.
“The first sign of change in attitude came after our inaugural Test. When you saw them come out of the Test looking inward,” he added.
They started to figure out what they needed to improve every game, the coach continued, noting the positives even in defeat against Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“We want to beat the bigger teams; that’s how we improve. At the end of the day, winning is important to me,” Simmons remarked.
Meanwhile, skipper Asghar Afghan credited the coach for the team’s meteoric rise. “The important thing he [Simmons] has done is he has understood what the team’s level is.”
By Pajhwok Monitor
