Pakistan Appoints Shaheen Afridi New ODI Captain
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday replaced Mohammad Rizwan as captain of the Pakistan men’s one-day international (ODI) team, appointing fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in his place.
Leadership Change
The decision was finalised during a PCB meeting in Islamabad that included team officials such as head coach Mike Hesson and high-performance director Aqib Javed. Under the change, Afridi will lead Pakistan in the upcoming three-match ODI series versus South Africa men’s cricket team.
Background & Context
Rizwan took charge of the ODI side last October but the team’s results remained inconsistent. Notably, Pakistan failed to reach the knockout stage of the 2025 Champions Trophy and suffered a 2-1 series defeat in the West Indies. The PCB cited performance considerations as part of its rationale.
Afridi, who previously captained Pakistan’s T20 side before being replaced, now assumes the white-ball leadership role amid hopes of stabilising the squad ahead of forthcoming international commitments.
What’s Next
With the new captaincy in place, Pakistan aims to build momentum ahead of significant 50-over fixtures. Afridi’s first match as skipper will test his leadership under pressure as Pakistan seeks to regain consistency in ODI cricket.
