Islamabad: Leading Pakistani pacer Shaheen Afridi has been appointed as the new One Day International (ODI) captain, succeeding wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan. Reports of Rizwan’s removal surfaced when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hesitated to confirm him as the ODI captain in a statement over the weekend. A few days later, Afridi’s selection was officially announced shortly after the conclusion of the first day’s play in the second Test match against South Africa in Rawalpindi.
The decision followed a meeting between the selection committee and white-ball head coach Mike Hesson in Islamabad on Monday, October 20. The PCB did not specify the official reason for Rizwan’s dismissal; however, the move came in light of Pakistan’s disappointing record, having won only one ODI out of their last nine, and failing to secure victory in the recent Champions Trophy under his leadership.
Under Rizwan’s captaincy, Pakistan initially performed well, securing three consecutive overseas ODI series wins against Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Trouble arose during the Champions Trophy, continuing with subsequent series losses to New Zealand and the West Indies, prompting the coaching staff and selectors to make a change.
During Rizwan’s time as captain, Pakistan achieved nine victories in 20 matches. Afridi, who has been a key player for Pakistan, will now look to revitalize the team’s performance after a rocky start to his own captaincy career. In early 2024, he oversaw a T20I series loss (1-4) to New Zealand, resulting in his removal months before the last T20 World Cup, echoing Rizwan’s recent experience. Despite this, the PCB, Hesson, and Afridi remain optimistic that this new tenure will yield positive outcomes.
Afridi has shown impressive form in ODIs, being the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in the format last year. His first challenge as ODI captain will be a three-match series against South Africa.
