Trott hopes Rashid & Co bring 'joy and happiness' to post-earthquake Afghanistan

Jonathan Trott is hoping that his Afghanistan players can "bring joy and happiness" to their supporters at home during the World Cup, after the earthquake that killed around 1,000 people in the west of the country and injured thousands more.

Afghanistan wore black armbands in memory of the victims of the earthquake during their eight-wicket defeat to India in Delhi on Wednesday night, and several players have donated significantly to relief efforts. None of the players' families have been directly affected, but Trott said that they have been "brilliant" in their response to the disaster.

"When the news broke of the disaster, straightaway the players wanted to know what they could do," Trott said on Saturday evening, the eve of their next World Cup fixture, against England. "We had a team meeting and a lot of players have donated from their match fees."

Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's T20 captain, has pledged to donate all his match fees from the World Cup "to help the affected people" and his foundation has raised over £30,000 in an emergency appeal.

"Hopefully, all the money gets to places that can help and make a difference rescuing people or with their recovery," Trott said. "The players have been really good. No-one as such has been affected family-wise, but I'm sure their thoughts go out to their countrymen and women."

After their defeat to India, Trott said: "The players certainly know that their performances here will bring joy and happiness to the country. They want their country to be proud of them… there's seven more games to go in this World Cup, and plenty of opportunities to put in good performances and make everyone in Afghanistan proud."

For the second time in his coaching career, Trott will face the country he represented 52 times in Test cricket and 75 times in limited-overs internationals. "There's no extra motivation," he said. "It's just another team that, hopefully, we can beat.

"There is some sort of familiarity, and I find it a pleasure to play against England. Just like when I played for England against South Africa, I really enjoyed the challenge. So tomorrow is going to be a challenge, for sure - but nothing personal. There's no sort of agendas, or anything like that."

Afghanistan were thrashed by England at the 2019 World Cup, losing by 150 runs as Eoin Morgan hit 148 off 71 balls. "I'd like to think [the gap] has tightened," Trott said. "I'd say that England are probably in a very similar place to where they were then, and I'd say that we've got a bit better as well.

"I'm very optimistic with tomorrow's game. I'd like to see a good competitive match. I know the England side respects the players we have in our dressing room, and we respect them as well. We'll have an opportunity tomorrow to put pressure on England and we've got to make sure we do that."