Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has been appointed as the mentor for the Afghanistan cricket team ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This marks the 47-year-old's second stint with the Afghan team, having previously served as their batting coach in 2022.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced Younis’s appointment, with the former Pakistan skipper set to work closely with the team during their conditioning and preparation camp in Pakistan. His mentorship will continue throughout the tournament, which is being hosted in Pakistan.

The ACB Chief Executive Officer, Naseeb Khan, emphasized the significance of appointing an experienced mentor from the hosting country, saying, “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. Observing the conditions, we have appointed Younis Khan as mentor for our national team for the upcoming mega event and wish him the best of luck in his crucial assignment.”

Younis Khan brings with him a wealth of experience, having played 118 Tests, 265 ODIs, and 25 T20Is, accumulating 10,099, 7,249, and 442 runs, respectively. He notably led Pakistan to their first T20 World Cup title in 2009.

Besides his international playing career, he has also worked as a coach with Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and served as the head coach of the Bangla Tigers in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.

With Afghanistan performing well in recent ICC events, the addition of Younis Khan is expected to bolster their chances in the Champions Trophy, where they will be aiming to reach the knockout stages.

The tournament will begin on February 19, with Afghanistan set to play their first match against South Africa on February 21 at Karachi.