Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has been appointed as the mentor for Afghanistan’s cricket team ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to begin on February 19, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Wednesday.
Younis Khan will join the team during their conditioning and training camp in Pakistan, providing mentorship services until the tournament concludes, according to the ACB statement.
Previously, Younis Khan served as Afghanistan’s batting coach in April 2022.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan explained, “With the Champions Trophy being held in Pakistan, it was essential to appoint a skilled and experienced mentor from the host country. After the success of hosting country mentors in the ODI World Cup 2023 and T20I World Cup 2024, we have chosen Younis Khan to guide our national team for this prestigious event, and we wish him all the best for his important role.”
Afghanistan has previously benefited from the expertise of mentors from host nations during major tournaments, including the ODI and T20 World Cups.
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will begin on February 19, with Pakistan, the defending champions, facing New Zealand in the opening match in Karachi.
Younis Khan, a legendary figure in Pakistan cricket, will use his extensive coaching experience and deep knowledge of local conditions to support Afghanistan’s preparations for the tournament. The former captain led Pakistan to their first ICC T20 World Cup title in 2009 and remains the only Pakistani batsman to surpass 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
