Shaheen Shah Afridi Appointed Pakistan’s New ODI Captain, Replaces Mohammad Rizwan

In yet another significant shake-up of the team’s leadership, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new captain of the One-Day International (ODI) squad, replacing wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan. The announcement was made on Monday, October 20, following a meeting in Islamabad, continuing the trend of frequent captaincy changes in Pakistan cricket.

The decision was finalized after discussions involving white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director of High Performance Aqib Javed, and the national selection committee. Afridi’s first assignment will be leading the Men in Green in the three-match ODI series at home against South Africa, which is scheduled to begin on November 4 in Faisalabad.

Amir react on afridi captaincy “I don’t think Mohammad Rizwan has been treated fairly. Rizwan was not a bad one-day captain,” he remarked via a video on his social media handle.

Rizwan’s Brief Tenure

Mohammad Rizwan, who had taken over the white-ball captaincy in October 2024, saw a tenure of mixed results. He started strongly, guiding Pakistan to a historic ODI series win in Australia and a series sweep over South Africa. However, results saw a downward spiral in 2025, marked by an early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy, a loss in a home tri-series final to New Zealand, and a significant 2-1 series defeat to the West Indies. In total, Rizwan led the side in 20 ODIs, registering 9 wins and 11 losses. The PCB’s official statement confirming Afridi’s appointment did not provide a specific reason for Rizwan’s removal.

Afridi’s Second Stint at Captaincy

For the 25-year-old left-arm pacer, this marks a return to leadership after a very brief stint as T20I captain in early 2024. That tenure concluded after a 4-1 series loss to New Zealand, leading to his quick replacement.

Shaheen Afridi is considered Pakistan’s frontline pace spearhead and has an impressive track record in the 50-over format, having taken 131 wickets in 66 ODIs since his debut in 2018. His aggressive approach and successful leadership of the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are seen as key factors in his appointment. The new leadership structure means Pakistan now has three different captains for the three formats—Afridi in ODIs, Salman Ali Agha in T20Is, and Shan Masood in Tests—as the team looks to stabilize and build towards the 2027 World Cup.