Afghanistan sign up Younis Khan as mentor for Champions Trophy
The ACB said Younis will join the team in Pakistan for a conditioning camp ahead of the Champions Trophy, and stay on for the duration of the tournament
ESPNcricinfo staff
08-Jan-2025
Younis Khan will be back working with Afghanistan during next month's Champions Trophy • Getty Images
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan will return to the Afghanistan set-up as mentor for the Champions Trophy 2025. Younis had worked with Afghanistan in 2022, at a 15-day training camp in Abu Dhabi with an expanded squad of 25.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said in a statement that Younis will join the team in Pakistan for a conditioning camp ahead of the Champions Trophy, which is set to begin on February 19 in Karachi, and stay with the team till the end of the tournament.
This is the third global tournament in a row where the ACB has appointed a mentor for the team from the host country: they had Ajay Jadeja as mentor for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, and Dwayne Bravo as bowling consultant for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. In the first of those, they finished sixth - with wins against England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and a near-upset of Australia - to seal automatic qualification for the Champions Trophy. In the T20 World Cup, they made it all the way to the semi-finals for their best-ever showing in a global tournament.
ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan said of Younis' appointment: "Since the Champions Trophy is being held in Pakistan, it was required to assign a talented and experienced player as mentor from the hosting country. We already had efficient experience with hosting countries' mentors in ODI World Cup 2023 and T20I World Cup 2024.
"Observing the conditions, therefore, we have appointed Younis Khan as mentor for our national team for the upcoming mega event and wish him best of the luck in his crucial assignment."
Afghanistan are in Group B at the Champions Trophy, with Australia, England and South Africa. The tournament is set to be primarily played in Pakistan, with only games involving India to be held in Dubai.
Younis, who retired from international cricket in 2017 with the experience of 118 Tests, 265 ODIs and 25 T20Is to his name, took to coaching thereafter and was involved with the Pakistan senior men's set-up as batting coach in 2021, albeit briefly due to differences with the PCB.