Afghanistan and Bangladesh will clash on September 16 in Abu Dhabi.
Jonathan Trott stated that Bangladesh cannot be taken lightly, as they have won the Asia Cup championship several times, in response to a query from a member of the media.
“Yes, I think Bangladesh will be under pressure, but if you look at history, they’ve won this competition a few times, the Asia Cup,” Trott said at the pre-game presser.
Trott repeatedly said, "Are you sure?" in amazement as a journalist pointed out to him that Bangladesh had never lifted the trophy.
Even the media manager for Afghanistan had to intervene, but at first, Trott would not budge, saying, "I thought they won the 50-over Asia Cup!"
Finally, following the action that every coach dreads the most—searching for his own news conference on Google—Trott sheepishly admitted, “I really thought they were champions.”
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In 2012, Bangladesh advanced to their first Asia Cup final, but fell to Pakistan by a margin of just two runs. They advanced to the T20 final in 2016, but India defeated them. In a thrilling final-ball match played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium two years later in 2018, India once more denied them the championship.
Trott genuinely commended Bangladesh for having players who can actually win games. Additionally, he stated that his team will gain from the seven-day rest following Afghanistan's victory over Hong Kong in the tournament's opening round.
“I think Bangladesh has players who are real match-winners. That makes this a great challenge for us and a good test tomorrow. I’m actually quite happy with this break. It has helped us recharge mentally and physically, especially after playing in this extreme heat. This is a good chance for us to reset, see where we are, and start again,” Trott added.
Afghanistan will secure a place in the Super Four with a win in their next game. But for Bangladesh, they will have to wait for the result of the Afghanistan–Sri Lanka clash, where net run rate could determine their fate.