Younis Khan appointed Afghanistan’s mentor for ICC Champions Trophy

English , Snippets , Sports - کھیل اور کھلاڑی , / Thursday, January 9th, 2025

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Sources DAN News
KABUL, January 9 – The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has appointed former Pakistan captain Younis Khan as the national team’s mentor for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Younis will oversee the team’s preparation and conditioning camp in Pakistan and continue his mentorship throughout the tournament, according to an ACB press release.
Younis Khan, 47, is one of Pakistan’s cricketing greats, boasting a record 10,099 runs in 118 Test matches with an impressive average of over 52. He also scored 7,249 runs in 265 ODIs and 442 runs in 25 T20Is. His 34 Test centuries, including a career-best 313 against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 2009, remain unmatched in Pakistan’s cricketing history.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan expressed confidence in Younis’s appointment, highlighting his expertise and familiarity with Pakistani conditions. “Since the Champions Trophy is being held in Pakistan, it was crucial to assign an experienced mentor from the host country,” Naseeb stated. He added that Afghanistan had benefited from similar mentorship arrangements during the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The ICC Champions Trophy, returning after seven years, will run from February 19 to March 9, featuring 15 matches across Pakistan and Dubai. Group stage games will be held in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi, with Lahore set to host the second semi-final and final, unless India qualifies, in which case the final will move to Dubai.
Afghanistan’s campaign begins on February 21 against South Africa in Karachi, while the tournament opener sees Pakistan facing New Zealand in Group A on February 19. The highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan is scheduled for February 23 in Dubai.
Younis’s mentorship is expected to bring a wealth of experience to Afghanistan as they gear up for the high-stakes tournament.