Shaheen Shah Afridi replaces Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan’s new ODI captain
The 25-year-old all-rounder brings pace, passion, and leadership experience to the role
LAHORE/DUBAI – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday confirmed the appointment of fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain of the national men’s One Day International (ODI) team, succeeding Mohammad Rizwan.
The move ushers in a new phase for Pakistan’s limited-overs setup, as the team prepares for its home ODI series against South Africa, scheduled from November 4 to 8 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.
The decision was finalised during a high-level meeting in Islamabad, attended by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director High Performance Aqib Javed, and members of the national selection committee. PCB officials said the meeting centred on team strategy, leadership evaluation, and future white-ball plans.
Shaheen Shah Afridi – the new Captain
Shaheen, 25, steps into the ODI leadership role with prior experience captaining the national side in T20 Internationals. He previously led Pakistan during the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in early 2024, marking his first stint as national captain. Despite Pakistan’s 4-1 defeat to the Blackcaps, Shaheen’s aggressive and energetic approach was widely noted.
Following that series, Babar Azam resumed captaincy until the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, after which the PCB began considering a structural reshuffle in white-ball leadership.
A central figure in Pakistan’s bowling attack, Shaheen Afridi has represented Pakistan in 66 ODIs and 92 T20Is, taking a total of 249 wickets across both formats. In 32 Test matches, excluding the ongoing second Test against South Africa at Rawalpindi, the left-arm pacer has bagged 120 wickets.
His upcoming assignment in Faisalabad will mark Shaheen’s first series as ODI captain, as Pakistan face a strong South African side. The series will also serve as an important test for Pakistan’s preparations ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy next year, to be hosted in Pakistan.
Shaheen is also the son-in-law of former cricketer Shahid Afridi.
Rizwan’s tenure ends
Mohammad Rizwan, 33, who had taken charge of both ODI and T20I sides in October 2024, managed a 45 per cent win rate as ODI captain. Under his leadership, Pakistan played 20 ODIs, winning nine and losing eleven. His tenure in the shortest format, however, was less successful, as Pakistan lost all four T20Is under his captaincy.
After the series of T20 defeats, the PCB replaced Rizwan with all-rounder Salman Ali Agha as the T20I captain ahead of the upcoming tour of New Zealand.