Afghanistan Appoints Toby Radford as Batting Coach Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

With the T20 World Cup breathing down everyone’s necks, most teams are in maintenance mode—polishing what they have and hoping for the best. Not Afghanistan.

In a move that signals they are done with the “plucky underdog” tag and are gunning for genuine glory, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has pulled the trigger on a major backroom overhaul. They have brought in the seasoned campaigner Toby Radford as the new batting coach and the elite fitness guru Robert Ahmun to run the strength and conditioning department.

This isn’t just shuffling the deck chairs; it’s a calculated upgrade. With the tournament kicking off on February 7 in the subcontinent, these signings are about fixing specific flaws before the spotlight hits. Radford replaces Andrew Puttick, and he has no time to ease in—the work starts immediately.

The Radford Factor: Why Him, Why Now?

On the surface, hiring a Welshman to coach Afghanistan might seem like a standard move. But dig a little deeper, and the logic is undeniable. Toby Radford is a specialist in exactly the kind of challenges Afghanistan faces.

1. The West Indies “Cheat Code” Radford’s CV has one line that stands out in bold neon right now: 2012 T20 World Cup Winner. He was the assistant and batting coach for the West Indies when they danced their way to the title in Sri Lanka. He knows the Caribbean flair, he knows their bowlers, and he knows how to unlock power hitters.

• Why this matters: Afghanistan is about to play a three-match series against the West Indies in Dubai starting January 19. Bringing in a guy who helped build the modern West Indies batting philosophy just days before facing them? That’s a masterstroke.

2. A Man of the Region Radford isn’t one of those western coaches who flies in, complains about the heat, and flies out. He has been in the trenches of Asian cricket. He’s currently the Head Coach of the Dhaka Capitals in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). He’s run High Performance centers for both Bangladesh and Pakistan. He understands the pitches, the humidity, and the unique mindset of players from this region. He won’t need a “get to know you” period; he already knows the landscape.

3. Fixing the Collapse Culture We all love watching Afghanistan play. The passion, the spin wizards, the raw energy—it’s electric. But let’s be honest: their batting can be fragile. They have a habit of looking like world-beaters for ten overs and then imploding for the next ten. Radford is a technical coach. He’s an ECB Level 4 certified tactician who specializes in building innings. His job isn’t to teach Rahmanullah Gurbaz how to hit a six (he knows that already); his job is to teach the middle order how to rotate strike when the boundaries dry up.

Robert Ahmun: The Engine Room Upgrade

While Radford polishes the skills, Robert Ahmun is there to ensure the machine doesn’t break down.

Modern T20 cricket is brutal. The schedule is condensed, the travel is exhausting, and the physical demands of fielding in the subcontinental heat can drain a player in minutes. Afghanistan has arguably the most talented squad in their history, but talent doesn’t matter if your hamstring snaps in the 18th over.

Ahmun comes with a serious pedigree. Until very recently, he was the Head of Performance Science and Medicine for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). He’s been looking after the likes of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. Bringing that level of sports science to the Afghanistan setup is a game-changer. It suggests the ACB is moving toward a data-driven approach to fitness, recovery, and workload management.

The Immediate Challenge: The Dubai “Test”

The new duo doesn’t get a honeymoon period. They are joining the squad immediately for the series in the UAE.

The Upcoming Gauntlet:

• Jan 19: vs West Indies (Dubai)
• Jan 21: vs West Indies (Dubai)
• Jan 22: vs West Indies (Dubai)

This series is the perfect laboratory. The Dubai pitches will be slow and low—very similar to what they will face in India and Sri Lanka for the World Cup. Radford gets three games to tweak the batting order and test combinations against a top-tier team. If the batting holds up here, confidence will skyrocket heading into the main event.

The Bigger Picture: From Dark Horses to Contenders

For years, the narrative around Afghanistan has been the same: “Dangerous team, watch out for Rashid Khan, might cause an upset.”

The ACB seems tired of that narrative. They want to be the team that wins, not just the team that scares. By hiring a World Cup-winning coach and an elite performance director on one-year contracts, they are building a structure for sustained success.

They have the bowling attack to win a World Cup—Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman form an attack that keeps opposing captains awake at night. Now, with Radford in charge of the willow and Ahmun looking after the engines, the AfghanAtalan might finally have the complete package.

The pieces are on the board. The staff is in place. Now, it’s time to play.

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