Champions Trophy 2025: Sarfaraz Ahmed reveals story behind MS Dhoni’s viral selfie with his son

The highly anticipated Champions Trophy 2025 is almost approaching, and supporters are excited to witness some opulent team rivalries. The match between India and Pakistan, which is frequently referred to as the “mother of all rivalries,” is one example.

On February 23, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai will host the intense match. The two teams will face off in their sixth Champions Trophy meeting. Even while these two Asian international powerhouses frequently have intense on-field exchanges, there are also some intriguing behind-the-scenes glimpses and relationships between the players from the other side of the border that are revealed by the players.

Prior to the Champions Trophy 2017 final, Sarfaraz Ahmed, the former captain of Pakistan, also mentioned a chat he had with the legendary MS Dhoni of India. At that time, Ahmed was interacting with his loved ones, particularly his three-month-old son, Abdullah Ahmed.

“MS Dhoni just so happened to come downstairs while his family friends were there.

“He believed it would be the ideal chance to record the moment with his son, who is three months old,” Ahmed told Cricket Pakistan.

“I spoke with Dhoni for a long time about wicketkeeping and cricket in general. I questioned him about how he balanced playing the parts of captain, batsman, and wicketkeeper. I found Dhoni’s advice to be of great assistance. He gave his counsel with great generosity and humility,” the former Champions Trophy winner continued.

Sarfaraz on the interaction between Pakistani and Indian athletes

Sarfaraz Ahmed also discussed the rival nation players’ relationship, stating that there is still respect for one another even though there aren’t any bilateral series, which may have had some impact on their interactions. He also mentioned a few legends who still appear to get along well with one another.

“Although the absence of bilateral series has somewhat impacted interactions, the matches that do occur—particularly back-to-back meetings—have resulted in better relations,” he added.

“There is always mutual respect and friendship between Indian and Pakistani players whenever they meet. It’s not unusual to see players like Shoaib Malik, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and others sitting together after games, chatting and enjoying each other’s company,” Ahmed said.