Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has urged India to visit Pakistan ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Speaking in a recent interview, Younis suggest that the arch-rivals' star player Virat Kohli would benefit from playing in front of rival fans in the neighbouring country.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are yet to confirm the International Cricket Council (ICC) about their participation in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The BCCI are reluctant to send Rohit Sharma & Co. across the border, due to India's geo-political hostilities with Pakistan.
Most recently, BCCI were successful in getting a multi-national tournament hosted on a hybrid-model. India played all their matches in Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023.
Despite the tournament being originally hosted in Pakistan, the Men in Blue played all their matches (including the knockouts) in Sri Lanka, with tournament hosted on a hybrid model.
However, the former Pakistan batter wants India to put aside differences and visit his country for the ICC Champions Trophy. The Men in Green are set to host their first ICC event in 28 years, since hosting the ICC ODI World Cup in 1996.
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Why did Younis Khan tell India to visit Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025?
Younis Khan has requested Indian team to come to Pakistan for the ICC CT 2025. The 46-year-old believes that Indian stars like Virat Kohli would see a spurt in fan-following, while the cricket fans in Pakistan would get to witness his magnificence in their own country.
"India should definitely come (to Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy 2025). I believe that when we went to India (for ODI World Cup 2023), our fan-following increased, our skills increased, our pressure-handling capabilities increased," the former Pakistan skipper said.
"Pakistan wants Indian stars like Virat Kohli to come here. If Kohli comes to Pakistan, his popularity will increase. If he bats the way he does, on the pitches of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, then nothing like it!"
Virat Pakistan Ayain.. Fan Following zyada hojai gi.. Younus Khan (Former Captain Pakistan) #Pakistan #India #ViratKohli𓃵 #cricket pic.twitter.com/88rzipplbl
— Ali Hasan 🏅 (@AaliHasan10) October 5, 2024
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Has Virat Kohli ever played in Pakistan?
Virat Kohli has not played in Pakistan. He has represented India in multiple nations but not in the neighbouring country. The 35-year-old made his international debut in 2008, the same year when India last visited their neighbours.
However, Kohli was not selected in the continental tournament, and thus, is yet to stamp his foot on the pitches of Pakistan.
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When did India last visit Pakistan for a cricket match?
India last played Pakistan in Pakistan in a bilateral series in the 2005-06 season. However, their most-recent visit to Pakistan was in 2008 for the Asia Cup. MS Dhoni & Co. finished runners-up to Sri Lanka in the final.
It has been over 16 years that India visited Pakistan for a cricket match. The two countries usually play neutral venues during ICC / ACC events only. Their most-recent meeting was at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York in the United States of America (USA) at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
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