Shaheen Afridi Named Pakistan ODI Captain, Replacing Mohammad Rizwan

In a significant shake-up to Pakistan’s white-ball leadership, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sacked Mohammad Rizwan as ODI captain and appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as his successor. The announcement came late Monday evening, shortly after the conclusion of the first day’s play in the ongoing Test match between Pakistan and South Africa in Rawalpindi — a match that features both Rizwan and Afridi.

The PCB did not provide a specific reason for Rizwan's removal, nor was the 33-year-old wicketkeeper-batter mentioned in the official statement. The decision followed a high-level meeting in Islamabad between the national selection committee and Pakistan’s white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson.

Signs of an impending change were visible over the weekend when the PCB released a statement that conspicuously stopped short of confirming Rizwan as ODI captain for the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa. Instead, it noted that Coach Hesson had requested a meeting with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and the advisory committee to finalize the leadership decision.

Sources suggest that while Hesson did not explicitly push for Rizwan’s ouster, there was broad consensus within the PCB’s upper management for a leadership change.

A Familiar Turn for Afridi

Afridi, 25, returns to white-ball captaincy just months after a disappointing T20I stint. He had briefly led the national T20 side during the January 2024 series against New Zealand, which ended in a 4-1 defeat for Pakistan. His leadership was cut short, and Babar Azam was reinstated shortly afterward amid similar uncertainty from the PCB.

This time, however, Afridi takes charge of the ODI team in strong individual form. He was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs last year and played a pivotal role in historic away series wins in South Africa and Australia. Since the 2023 World Cup, no fast bowler from a Full Member nation has claimed more ODI wickets than Afridi’s 45 — an average of over two wickets per match.

Rizwan’s Mixed Tenure

Rizwan’s removal comes despite a respectable personal record in the format. Since taking over the ODI captaincy last year, he has averaged just under 42 and sits just four runs shy of being Pakistan's highest run-scorer during that period. He led the team to notable series victories in Australia and South Africa in 2024.

However, Pakistan’s ODI form has dipped in 2025, culminating in a first-round exit from the Champions Trophy — a tournament hosted at home. That result appears to have significantly influenced the decision to move on from Rizwan’s leadership.

What’s Next

Afridi’s first assignment as ODI captain will be a three-match home series against South Africa in Faisalabad next month. Pakistan will continue with separate captains across all three formats, with Shan Masood currently leading the Test side and Babar Azam in charge of the T20 team.

The PCB’s handling of captaincy changes remains under scrutiny, particularly given the lack of transparency in communication. As Afridi assumes the role once again, all eyes will be on whether he can deliver where others have recently fallen short.