Younis urged newly appointed ICC Chairman Jay Shah to ensure that India participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy, set to be hosted in Pakistan. Uncertainty has surrounded India’s participation in the Champions Trophy due to straining political relations with its neighbours. Cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have been fraught with tension for several years now, and the two last played a bilateral series in 2012-13.

Since then, matches between the two cricketing giants are limited to ICC events and Asia Cup fixtures. India last played on Pakistani soil during the 2008 Asia Cup, when since then, due to diplomatic tensions, further engagements stopped. This frosty relationship has seen a glimmer of hope: the emergence of Jay Shah, the ICC Chairman.

Younis Khan is hopeful that during Shah’s chairmanship, the way forward might be towards the amelioration of cricketing relations between India and Pakistan. He said Shah’s position is the best chance to show any sportsmanship and to make a turnaround for the progress of cricketing relations.

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“The appointment of Jay Shah as ICC Chairman is a positive development for cricket. His role presents an opportunity to revive cricketing ties. I hope he demonstrates sportsmanship by encouraging India to play in Pakistan and vice versa,” Younis Khan said in an interview with Cricket Pakistan.

Best of all, Younis recalls being the captain of Pakistan when it won the 2009 T20 World Cup. He also had a word about the current happenings in Pakistani cricket. In reference to a recent 10-wicket defeat in which Pakistan was thrashed by Bangladesh during the Rawalpindi Test, Younis enlightened how players are supposed to handle pressure, especially playing at home.

“Playing at home comes with its own set of pressures. Our players must learn to cope with this pressure. We’ve seen victories in the past even when international cricket was not being played in Pakistan,” he noted.

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Younis went on to say that he did not agree with the PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who lately had declared that domestic cricket in Pakistan was running short of talent. “I don’t agree with this observation. I believe our domestic circuit is full of talent and it’s important for us to invest in it to develop it for the future of Pakistan cricket.”