Shahid Afridi has urged Team India to come and play Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year.

As the 2025 Champions Trophy finds itself in a state of limbo following India’s reported stance of not travelling to Pakistan, former captain Shahid Afridi has urged the BCCI to think otherwise. Afridi wants India to come and play in Pakistan, as it will not just help the cricketing ties between two nations grow but also give the crowd in his country the opportunity to witness Virat Kohli play.

Shahid Afridi (L) wants Virat Kohli to play in Pakistan.(Getty Images)

Bilateral cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have been put on hold since 2013. Pakistan recently visited India for last year’s 50-overs World Cup, and for the longest time, it was believed that India would return the favour by going and playing in Pakistan. As per reports, India’s matches were expected to be played in Lahore, which is close to the border, but ANI on Thursday reported that the BCCI is not keen to send their team across the border and that it has once again proposed a hybrid model, much like the Asia Cup last year.

Kohli has played for India all around the world except Pakistan. The prospect of him playing there has always excited fans as there is an abundance of Kohli fans 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.

“I will welcome Team India. Even when Pakistan used to tour, we received a lot of respect and love from India, and when India came in 2005-06, all their players enjoyed. There is no better advent of peace than India and Pakistan going to each other’s country and playing cricket. If Virat Kohli comes to Pakistan, he’ll forget the love and hospitality of India. He has his own class,” Afridi told News 24.

Kohli could have carried on playing T20Is, adds Afridi

The former Pakistan captain believes that Kohli should have continued playing T20I cricket for India. After India won the T20 World Cup by beating South Africa in the final on June 29, Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirements from T20 internationals finishing India’s top two highest run-getters in the format, but Afridi reckons the incoming youngsters would have benefitted a lot more having Kohli around.

“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. You cannot bring all youngsters together; you need a combination of seniors and juniors. What Virat can teach them, I don’t think anyone else can,” pointed out Afridi.