Srinagar: Former Pakistan skipper Younis Khan has sent a strong message to BCCI on why it should sent team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025.
The hosting of the 2025 Champions Trophy is clouded with uncertainty as doubts arise over India’s willingness to travel to Pakistan. Bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan has been suspended since 2013, but Pakistan’s recent visit to India for the 2023 fifty-over World Cup reignited discussions about a possible reciprocal tour.
If BCCI decides against sending team to Pakistan, it would mean that one of India’s star batters, Virat Kohli, would likely not play a match in Pakistan in his career. India’s last tour of the country was in 2006, two years prior to Kohli’s debut in international cricket.
Having retired from T20Is, Kohli is now focusing solely on ODIs, Tests, and the IPL. This makes his chances of playing in Pakistan slimmer, and former captain Younis Khan has urged for India to travel to Pakistan, as it is the “only thing left” in Kohli’s career.
“Virat Kohli should come to Pakistan for 2025 Champions Trophy. It is our wish too. I think the only thing left in Virat’s career is to tour Pakistan and perform,” Younis Khan was quoted as saying.
However, Kohli has played a bilateral series against Pakistan when the side toured India for a limited-overs tour in December 2012. The 35-year-old batter has consistently performed against Pakistan across both white-ball formats in continental (Asia Cup) and global (World Cups) events but is yet to take on the side in Test cricket.
PCB leaving the decision to ICC
On Wednesday, it was reported by PTI that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has left it up to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to convince the BCCI to send its team to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in the first quarter of next year.