Former Pakistan cricket star Younis Khan was appointed as the mentor for Afghanistan’s national cricket team during the Champions Trophy 2025, set to begin on February 19 in Pakistan, the cricket board announced.
Younis will work with the team through their preparation and conditioning camp in Pakistan and will remain in the role until the tournament’s conclusion.
Younis Khan, a prolific batsman with an illustrious career, previously collaborated with Afghanistan’s national team as a batting coach during a 15-day training camp in the UAE in April 2022. Over his playing career, Younis appeared in 265 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring over 7,000 runs, and played 118 Test matches, amassing more than 10,000 runs.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board highlighted the significance of appointing an experienced figure familiar with the tournament’s host conditions. “Since the Champions Trophy is being held in Pakistan, it was necessary to assign a talented and experienced mentor from the host country,” said ACB CEO Naseeb Khan in a statement.
He added, “Younis Khan already has effective experience with the Afghanistan national team as a batting coach. We’ve seen positive results from similar collaborations with mentors from host nations during the ODI World Cup 2023 and T20 World Cup 2024. Observing the conditions, we are confident that Younis Khan’s guidance will lead our team to exceptional outcomes in the Champions Trophy.”
Afghanistan’s national cricket team has a history of benefiting from partnerships with high-profile players from host countries in major tournaments. The team delivered commendable performances in the previous ODI and T20 World Cups, bolstered by such expertise.
