The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new captain of Pakistan's ODI cricket team.
This decision, announced
on Monday (October 20), comes after the PCB sacked Mohammad Rizwan from the ODI captaincy following a disappointing run under his leadership, including failing to reach the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and a 3-0 series whitewash by New Zealand alongside a 2-1 loss to the West Indies. Shaheen Afridi will lead the team starting from the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa.
Shaheen Afridi, a left-arm fast bowler and one of Pakistan's premier pacers, is highly regarded for his leadership qualities, having displayed strategic acumen and motivational skills both in international cricket and in the Pakistan Super League. Previously, he has captained Pakistan's T20 team briefly and was praised for his approach to team unity and brotherhood.
Mohammad Rizwan, who remains influential in Pakistan cricket and likely to continue as the T20I captain, struggled with form and team results during his ODI captaincy tenure, which had a win rate below 50 percent in 20 ODIs. The PCB made the final call following recommendations from the head coach Mike Hesson and joint meetings of the Selection and Advisory Committees.
Afridi and Rizwan both are currently part of the Pakistan Test team who are playing against South Africa in the 2nd match of a two-match Test series.
