Afghanistan has appointed former Pakistan captain Younis Khan as their mentor for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the decision on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The Afghanistan Cricket Board has appointed former Pakistan batter Younis Khan as the mentor of the Afghanistan National Team for the Champions Trophy 2025, starting on February 19 in Pakistan. Younis Khan will accompany the team during their conditioning and preparation camp in Pakistan, offering his mentorship services until the conclusion of the tournament,” the ACB wrote.
Younis Khan is widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s greatest cricketers. He brings valuable coaching experience to the role, having previously served as Pakistan’s batting coach during their tour of England in 2020. He has also worked as a coach for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League and served as Afghanistan’s batting coach in 2022.
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During his illustrious career, Younis Khan scored 10,099 runs in 118 Tests, including 34 centuries and 33 half-centuries. He also scored 7,249 runs in 265 ODIs and led Pakistan to their only T20 World Cup title in 2009.
Afghanistan has performed well in recent ICC events. In the 2023 ODI World Cup, they secured victories against England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to qualify for the Champions Trophy. They also reached the semifinals of the T20 World Cup last year.
The tournament will begin on February 19 and will be held in Pakistan and the UAE. Afghanistan is placed in Group B, along with South Africa, Australia, and England. Their campaign will begin on February 21 against South Africa in Karachi. They will face England on February 26 and play against Australia on February 28. The team hopes to capitalize on Younis Khan’s experience as they aim for another strong performance on the global stage.
