Virat Kohli and Babar Azam in the same team? All you need to know about the potential revival of the Afro-Asia Cup in 2025

Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are the poster boys of Indian and Pakistan cricket respectively. Although the Indian stalwart is far ahead in terms of achievements, Babar showed serious signs of talent in the early days of his career, prompting many to draw comparisons between the two.  

It would be a dream come true moment for fans in the subcontinent to see both Kohli and Babar playing together in the same team. The latest update from the African Cricket Association (ACA) hints that the moment will happen in 2025 as the Afro-Asia Cup tournament is likely to be revived.

Also Read: YouTubers brutally troll Pakistan star after disappointing Bangladesh series 

ACA chairman Samod Damodar said that the tournament is likely to become a reality again. If that happens, we might see India and Pakistan players coming together to face African players. Virat-Babar, Bumrah-Shaheen Afridi combination will be blockbuster.

“Personally, I am very hurt that it (Afro-Asia Cup) didn’t happen. There was not adequate momentum through the ACA, but it is being looked at again. I think it was basically a lack of understanding and not buying into the concept. Our members are regretting it. It needed to be pushed by Africa,” Damodar told Forbes.

Also Read: Pakistan fans urge Virat Kohli to support Babar Azam during his rough patch

What is the Afro-Asia Cup and when was the tournament last held?  

The Afro-Asia Cup is an intercontinental tournament, where players from Asia and Africa compete against each other. The tournament was held twice in the past - 2005 and 2007 - featuring top players like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Saurav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Shid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher.

The Asian squad will have the presence of players from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, while the African squad will be constituted by cricketers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Earlier the tournament was held in the ODI format. Meanwhile, it is not certain whether the tournament will be played in the same format or T20 format in its third edition.