The captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team has remained a hot-button issue in recent years, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has ensured the drama continues by officially appointing Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new ODI captain, replacing Mohammad Rizwan.
While the decision was widely anticipated due to earlier leaks from insiders, the timing of the announcement caught many off guard. The PCB made the move late Monday, following the first day of the ongoing Test match between Pakistan and South Africa in Rawalpindi—where both Rizwan and Shaheen are currently playing. Notably, the board did not offer any explanation for Rizwan’s removal.
According to PCB sources, the decision was finalized during a meeting in Islamabad between the selection committee and white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, chaired by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Although Rizwan’s ouster wasn’t directly pushed by Hesson, insiders suggest the move had backing from the highest levels within the board.
Rizwan’s tenure as white-ball captain began last October and started on a promising note. Under his leadership, Pakistan secured ODI series victories in Australia and South Africa. However, the team’s early exit from the Champions Trophy at home this year significantly dented his reputation. He first lost the T20I captaincy, and now the ODI reins have been handed to Shaheen Afridi.
For 25-year-old Shaheen, this marks a second chance at white-ball leadership after a turbulent stint as T20 captain early last year. Pakistan lost his only series as captain 4–1 to New Zealand, and Shaheen was soon replaced by Babar Azam. Since then, however, Afridi has bounced back with stellar performances. He finished 2024 as Pakistan’s top wicket-taker in ODIs and remains one of the most consistent fast bowlers globally. Since the 2023 World Cup, he has claimed 45 ODI wickets, more than any other pacer from a Full Member nation, averaging over two wickets per game.
Shaheen now becomes the 31st player to captain Pakistan in ODIs.
His first assignment as skipper will be the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa in Faisalabad next month. Pakistan will continue with split captaincy across formats, with Shan Masood leading the Test side and Salman Ali Agha in charge of T20s.
While the debate around PCB’s decision is bound to intensify, Pakistan steps into a new era under Shaheen Afridi, with fans and players alike hoping it brings success and stability.