Former star all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said that Virat Kohli will forget the love he has for India when he comes to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Amid speculations about will the Indian cricket team travel to Pakistan or not for the 2025 Champions Trophy, a BCCI official said that the side will not go to the neighboring country for the tournament.
Following that, former Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi has urged the Indian cricket team to visit Pakistan for the marquee event. Shahid Afridi has also gone on to claim that Virat Kohli will forget about the hospitality in India if he comes to Pakistan.
India speculated not to go to Champions Trophy 2025 if held in Pakistan.
There is growing speculation that India will not participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan. This has led to former Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi urging the Indian team and Virat Kohli to come to Pakistan for the tournament.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not officially announced its decision yet, but they are expected to ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) to hold the event in a different format, possibly with matches played in multiple locations. India has not played any cricket matches in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup due to strained relations between the two countries following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The last time India played a bilateral series in Pakistan was in 2006.
The Champions Trophy 2025 is set to be held in Pakistan and reports have suggested that India won’t be flying to the neighbor country. Instead, ICC may follow a hybrid model where India play their matches in UAE or Sri Lanka. India has not played any cricket matches in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, following the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai that strained diplomatic relations. The last bilateral series between the two countries was held on Indian soil in 2012-13, featuring two T20Is and three ODIs.
But ahead of that, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has made a bold comment on Kohli. Urging the Indian team to come and play in Pakistan, Afridi said the the Indian stalwart will forget about India when he arrives in Pakistan. Afridi expressed his admiration for Virat Kohli, stating that Kohli has a massive fan following in Pakistan.
Shahid Afridi requests Virat Kohli, Team India To Play 2025 Champions Trophy In Pakistan
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has made a massive claim as they hope to host the 2025 Champions Trophy with all the teams participating. The 47-year-old observed that people in Pakistan like Virat Kohli a lot and are eager to see him playing in the nation.
India haven’t played in Pakistan since 2008 and are unlikely to tour the nation anytime soon due to the uncertain political situation. Pakistan were also the hosts of the Asia Cup last year, but the BCCI wanted a hybrid model. Hence, the Indian team played their matches in Sri Lanka and a similar situation is likely to be for the Champions Trophy.
Speaking to News 24’s YouTube channel, Shahid Afridi said he feels politics is no way bigger than an India-Pakistan battle on the field and that Kohli’s fan base is enormous in their country.
“I welcome the Indian team (in Pakistan) and they should come. We’ve always received huge respect and love in our tours of India. In the same way, the Indian team also received love and respect during their tour in 2005,” Afridi said.
“Cricket tours should be kept aside from politics. There is no big politics than India and Pakistan playing against each other in their countries. Virat will forget the love he has received in India when he would play in Pakistan. He has a huge craze in Pakistan and our people like him very much,” he added.
Kohli also has a strong T20I and ODI record against Pakistan. The former Indian skipper averages 52.15 in ODIs and 70.29 in T20Is vs. Pakistan. Kohli has played for India all around the world except Pakistan. The prospect of him playing there has always been exciting as Kohli fans are abundant across the border.
The last time India toured Pakistan was in 2006 when Kohli was still two years away from his India debut. For the 25-year-old Kohli, this could be his last opportunity to represent India in Pakistan. Kohli has already retired from T20Is and is set to enter a very interesting phase in his career, which will see his focus solely on ODIs, Tests and the IPL.
Shahid Afridi believes tat if Pakistan team works on merit they will succeed in future.
With Pakistan cricket witnessing continuous change in their administration, Afridi reckons chairmen deserve tenure of 2-3 years.
“Chairman should at least get three years so that Pakistan captain can remain for 2-3 years at his post. With the change of chairman, other things should not be affected. If we work on the basis of merit, the results will come. If the right person takes the right job, then the result will come automatically,” he said.
With the men’s team performing poorly in the T20 World Cup 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already started the cleaning process.