Srinagar: Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott has said that his side is all ready face Pakistan in Chennai on Monday in another round of a passionate rivalry.
“I think for them [Afghanistan players] it’s a rivalry that excites them,” said Trott on Sunday.
“I think it’s a rivalry that sometimes in the past has been very passionate,” he said.
“We’ve had very close games as well. Hopefully, tomorrow isn’t very exciting and we win by a lot. It’s just the nature of the rivalry, I should say,” he stated.
He added: “Both teams, I think, respect each other, but are very desperate to win.”
Trott said he wasn’t aware that Pakistan had unsuccessfully demanded the International Cricket Council switch Sunday’s game to another venue.
Afghanistan’s spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mujeebur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi will pose a threat to Pakistan as they did against England, sharing eight wickets in an upset 69-run win.
“It’s everybody’s job, not just the spinners, to win games. There’s batsmen who’ve got to put runs on the board or batsmen who’ve got to chase down a total,” added former England batsman Trott.
“Chennai is normally a good wicket. So, with regards to the mindset, it’s important, as I said, the mindset we have there is that it’s a team game. It’s not just a spinners game,” he said.