Younis Khan Named Mentor for Afghanistan Team

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has appointed former Pakistan captain Younis Khan as a mentor for their team in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will occur in Pakistan. Younis, who previously served as Afghanistan's batting coach in 2022, is expected to join the squad shortly before the tournament starts on February 21 against South Africa. With a prolific career that includes over 10,000 runs in Tests and leadership in Pakistan's 2009 T20 World Cup victory, his experience is anticipated to bolster Afghanistan's performance in the tournament. Afghanistan is placed in Group B alongside Australia, South Africa, and England, and aims to capitalize on their recent success, including a historic semi-final run in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The hiring of Younis Khan comes as part of Afghanistan's strategy to strengthen their coaching staff, which has seen other notable figures in the past. The tournament is set to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025, in a hybrid model involving both Pakistan and neutral venues such as Dubai.