As the countdown to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy continues, former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has offered his take on Pakistan’s chances, the excitement surrounding the event, and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan in cricket.
Amir, known for his heroics in the 2017 Champions Trophy final against India, expressed his high hopes for the national team ahead of the Champions Trophy, crediting their recent performances in the away series against Australia and South Africa.
“I have high hopes because Pakistan have recently won both away series. And I think this is a huge achievement for Pakistan, to win in Australia against Australia and then in South Africa against South Africa,” Amir said during an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com.
The left-arm fast bowler pointed out that Pakistan’s strong performances abroad have given them an edge as the Champions Trophy is set to take place in Pakistan.
“Since the Champions Trophy is in Pakistan, it will be an advantage for Pakistan, so I think Pakistan can do really well,” he added on the sidelines of ILT20, where Amir’s Desert Vipers ended up with the runners-up medal.
Amir also labelled the event as a “festival” for the entire nation.
“This is a huge thing for the entire country of Pakistan. After such a long time, such a big event is happening, and almost all the big teams that play cricket are coming to Pakistan. This is going to be a massive festival in Pakistan,” he said.
“And today, the common Pakistani is so happy that the Champions Trophy is being held in Pakistan. I’m telling you, every single game is going to be a full house.”
However, despite the event being a source of pride for the country, Amir could not hide his disappointment at the ongoing political tensions between Pakistan and India, particularly regarding India’s refusal to send their team to Pakistan.
He expressed a deep longing for the day when cricket would once again unite the two nations. “I really wanted the Indian team to come to Pakistan. As a player, I want Pakistan to go to India and India to come to Pakistan,” said Amir. “There are no boundaries in cricket; those who set boundaries, I’ve always been against that.”
“I was hopeful that India would come, and Indian team Pakistan aati toh unko maza ata (India would enjoy it too). The players would have enjoyed it a lot, but at the end of the day, players don’t have control over these things,” he added.
Reflecting on the current situation, Amir said that while Pakistan’s team will not be travelling to India either, this is not an ideal scenario. “But now, you see, even Pakistanis are not going to India; this has been decided, which, in my opinion, is not a good thing. I hope in the future, there will be a resolution to end these issues,” he concluded.
With India playing their matches in Dubai and Pakistan in their backyard, the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash on February 23 in the UAE promises to be the marquee encounter of the upcoming Champions Trophy.
