Rizwan Out, Afridi In: New Pakistan ODI Captain Announced

Pakistan’s One Day International cricket leadership has undergone a major transformation with the appointment of star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new captain, replacing Mohammad Rizwan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled this significant decision on Monday. The announcement followed a crucial meeting in Islamabad attended by head coach Mike Hesson, Director of High Performance Aqib Javed, and members of the national selection committee. Afridi’s first major challenge in his new capacity will be to lead Pakistan against South Africa in a three-match ODI series commencing on November 4th. Afridi, a prominent figure in Pakistan’s bowling attack since his ODI debut in 2018, has accumulated 131 wickets in 66 matches with an average of 24.28. He has previously captained Pakistan in the T20I format during a series against New Zealand in early 2024. The PCB’s earlier statement, which refrained from confirming Rizwan’s captaincy for the upcoming white-ball series, had already hinted at a potential change. While Rizwan demonstrated strong batting form, averaging just under 42 runs per innings and ranking among the team’s top scorers, and achieved series victories in Australia and South Africa in 2024, the team’s recent dip in form, underscored by their first-round exit from the Champions Trophy, appears to have prompted this strategic captaincy reshuffle.