Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi in action. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain of the Pakistan men’s ODI team for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa, scheduled from November 4 to 8 at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.
Shaheen’s appointment was finalised during a meeting held in Islamabad, attended by head coach Mike Hesson, Director High Performance Aqib Javed, and members of the national selection committee.
No reason was provided for replacing the wicketkeeper-batter, and he was not even mentioned in the official statement.
Rizwan’s removal was all but inevitable when the PCB put out a statement over the weekend, pointedly declining to confirm him as ODI captain ahead of the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour.
Instead, it read: Hesson had asked PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to convene a meeting with the selection and advisory committee to appoint a new captain.
The 25-year-old speedster, regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers in modern cricket, has been a mainstay of Pakistan’s bowling attack across formats. He has represented Pakistan in 66 ODIs and 92 T20Is, taking a combined 249 wickets, while in 32 Tests (excluding the ongoing second Test against South Africa), he has claimed 120 wickets.
Shaheen brings leadership experience to the role, having previously captained Pakistan in five T20Is against New Zealand in 2024. Apart from that, he is one of the most successful captains of the Pakistan Super League, having won the tournament thrice in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
The upcoming series against South Africa marks Shaheen’s first assignment as Pakistan’s full-time ODI captain as the team begins preparations for a busy international season ahead.
While Pakistan had different captains for all formats, Rizwan was until recently perceived to be the most secure of a group that includes Shan Masood and Salman Ali Agha.
Since becoming captain of the ODI side last year, Rizwan is four runs short of the highest scorer for Pakistan, averaging just under 42.
He led Pakistan to series wins in Australia and South Africa in 2024, though results this year have dipped, most notably with an ignominious first-round exit at a home Champions Trophy.
