Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. He believes this would improve cricket relations between the two countries and give fans in Pakistan a chance to see Virat Kohli play.
There are reports that the BCCI does not want to send the Indian team to Pakistan. Instead, they have suggested a hybrid model like the one used for the Asia Cup last year. This is surprising since Pakistan recently visited India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, and many thought India would play in Pakistan in return.
Shahid Afridi believes that cricket can bring India and Pakistan closer together. “I will welcome Team India. When Pakistan used to tour India, we received a lot of respect and love, and when India came in 2005-06, all their players enjoyed. There is no better way to promote peace than by playing cricket in each other’s countries,” Afridi said.
He also said, “If Virat Kohli comes to Pakistan, he’ll forget the love and hospitality of India. He has his own class.” Afridi thinks that Kohli playing in Pakistan would make many fans happy and strengthen the bond between the two nations.
Virat Kohli has played in many countries, but never in Pakistan. Fans in Pakistan are excited about the idea of him playing there. Kohli, who debuted for India in 2008, missed India’s last tour of Pakistan in 2006. At 35, this could be his last chance to play in Pakistan.
Afridi also talked about Kohli’s recent retirement from T20 Internationals. After India won the T20 World Cup by beating South Africa on June 29, both Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from T20 cricket. Afridi feels that Kohli should have continued playing T20s because his experience would help younger players.
“He shouldn’t have quit T20Is because the format looked beautiful with him in it. Why can’t he play? He is fit; he is in form. More than anything else, with him around the new guys would have found a lot more success. What Virat can teach them, I don’t think anyone else can,” Afridi explained.
Everyone is watching to see what happens next. The decisions made about the Champions Trophy will affect future cricket matches between India and Pakistan. Afridi’s request reminds us that sports can bring people together and create peace and happiness for fans on both sides.