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PCB yet to decide ODI captain for South Africa series

Ball Blazer

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Lahore, 18 October 2025:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has clarified that no decision has been made yet regarding the captaincy of the national team for the upcoming One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa.

According to the PCB spokesperson, head coach Mike Hesson has formally written to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, recommending that a joint meeting of the Selection Committee and the Advisory Committee be convened to finalise the captain for the series.

Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has referred the letter to the selection and the advisory committees which will meet up on October 20, during which the final decision on the ODI captaincy is expected to be made.
 
“Candidates for captaincy: Babar , Agha and SHAHEEN .
If Rizwan doesn't remain captain, it will be difficult to retain his place in the ODI squad as well.”

Same source
 
Why is Babar being discussed??

What exactly is the point of saying Rizwan won’t stay in the ODI team if he’s removed from captaincy?
 
“Candidates for captaincy: Babar , Agha and SHAHEEN .
If Rizwan doesn't remain captain, it will be difficult to retain his place in the ODI squad as well.”

Same source
I am backing Shaheen. But he should be given some time to prove his mettle. Unlike last time, should not be removed from captaincy on the basis of 1-2 series.
 
“If Rizwan doesn't remain captain, it will be difficult to retain his place in the ODI squad as well”
This is highly interesting

What’s Rizwan done to p off the selectors and white ball management?

I could sense his yapping was going to land him in serious trouble.
 
I think it's obvious Rizwan will be removed from ODI side as well. He will likely be kept around in Test side, which is fine. But the whiteball sides will need a new keepers.

But if the options are truly Babar, Shaheen or Agha then WOW what a terrible list of players to lead. Their all good ODI players but you can't go back to Babar, you can't go to Shaheen as you need to manage his workload. Agha has probably lost some confidence from the PCB since the Asia cup.
 
Mike & maybe the PCB would have liked to have chosen Shadab but his injuries & inconsistent form, take him out of the running. But the options are a lot to be desired.
 
Mike & maybe the PCB would have liked to have chosen Shadab but his injuries & inconsistent form, take him out of the running. But the options are a lot to be desired.
One thing I know for certain is that if one of Babar and Rizwan are not made the captain (of any team really), then the exterior forces such as the journalists and ex cricketers are going to make life a living hell for the PCB, the coach and the appointed captain whoever he is.

I’ve seen this very closely with the way things have panned out since Babar was removed by Zaka Ashraf in 2023. I can even name and shame those who will not allow Pakistan any breathing space.
 
If they sack Rizwan then whoever comes in his place should be given full backing till 2027. I feel like captains in Pakistan cricket are always on the verge of being sacked. I was never a fan of Babar as captain, but the way the PCB treated while the 2023 World Cup was going on was a bit pathetic; leaking his chats and just generally disowning him and the team.
 
If they sack Rizwan then whoever comes in his place should be given full backing till 2027. I feel like captains in Pakistan cricket are always on the verge of being sacked. I was never a fan of Babar as captain, but the way the PCB treated while the 2023 World Cup was going on was a bit pathetic; leaking his chats and just generally disowning him and the team.
If I recall correctly,

It was Babar’s agency (through Rashid Latif) who made accusations that the PCB chairman has not been responding to Babar’s messages during the 2023 World Cup. Zaka Ashraf had a journalist friend at the time who refuted the claim and showed a leaked screenshot of this accusation being incorrect.

It was Babar’s agency that was causing the trouble and the division between the then Pakistan fans (mainly Babar fans) and the PCB that wasn’t appointed by PTI.

The whole situation isn’t as plain and simple as it’s made out to be. Both parties have acted like kids.

Plus the leaked messaging thing was simply a deflection tactic from Babar’s pathetic captaincy and selection choices that he had for the 2023 World Cup where he clearly favoured players from his agency and some of his and Rizwan’s friends.
 
What the PCB did do is issue a statement after the Afghanistan defeat that the squad selected for the World Cup was totally the decision of Babar Azam.

I think that’s fair.
 
If I recall correctly,

It was Babar’s agency (through Rashid Latif) who made accusations that the PCB chairman has not been responding to Babar’s messages during the 2023 World Cup. Zaka Ashraf had a journalist friend at the time who refuted the claim and showed a leaked screenshot of this accusation being incorrect.

It was Babar’s agency that was causing the trouble and the division between the then Pakistan fans (mainly Babar fans) and the PCB that wasn’t appointed by PTI.

The whole situation isn’t as plain and simple as it’s made out to be. Both parties have acted like kids.

Plus the leaked messaging thing was simply a deflection tactic from Babar’s pathetic captaincy and selection choices that he had for the 2023 World Cup where he clearly favoured players from his agency and some of his and Rizwan’s friends.
I don't by rumors, I go by what I see and hear on the news with my own eyes. What PCB did was deliberate and a reflection of how unprofessional they really are as an organization. I don't care how pathetic Babar's captaincy was, I don't care if they had lost all 9 matches, that is not how you treat your cricket team captain while the World Cup is going on. There was no reason why they couldn't have waited till the tournament was over to express your displeasure and sack him, which is what they ended up doing anyway. Ultimately, this is about the principle, not the individual. No one deserves to be treated like that.
 
I don't by rumors, I go by what I see and hear on the news with my own eyes. What PCB did was deliberate and a reflection of how unprofessional they really are as an organization. I don't care how pathetic Babar's captaincy was, I don't care if they had lost all 9 matches, that is not how you treat your cricket team captain while the World Cup is going on. There was no reason why they couldn't have waited till the tournament was over to express your displeasure and sack him, which is what they ended up doing anyway. Ultimately, this is about the principle, not the individual. No one deserves to be treated like that.
Yes but you have to know the context before making it seem as if things are as plain and simple as you are making it out.
 
Yes but you have to know the context before making it seem as if things are as plain and simple as you are making it out.
I'm looking at the aggrieved party in this situation, which was Babar. And I'm looking at who was behind it and could have prevented it all from happening, and that's the PCB. I think it's very plain and simple. No board should behave in such a blatantly unprofessional manner by throwing their own players under the bus and damaging their personal reputations in the process. Not long after that they did the same thing with Shaheen.
 
No board should behave in such a blatantly unprofessional manner by throwing their own players under the bus and damaging their personal reputations in the process
You are specifically talking about the Babar/PCB situation

That was escalated by Babar and his agency who felt the PCB and the chairman are now ghosting Babar after clearly losing their trust having forced them to announce a squad that he wanted and 3 year contracts that he wanted for himself and his friends.

I’m glad you are bringing all of this up and making me expose the reality of the situation.

I think the PCB didn’t throw Babar under the bus enough during that tournament. He deserved more humiliation instead of the excuse to use it as a deflection tactic.
 
You are specifically talking about the Babar/PCB situation

That was escalated by Babar and his agency who felt the PCB and the chairman are now ghosting Babar after clearly losing their trust having forced them to announce a squad that he wanted and 3 year contracts that he wanted for himself and his friends.

I’m glad you are bringing all of this up and making me expose the reality of the situation.

I think the PCB didn’t throw Babar under the bus enough during that tournament. He deserved more humiliation instead of the excuse to use it as a deflection tactic.
I don't care what Babar's agency did, that doesn't justify PCB doing what they did. It was shameful and pathetic.
 
I don't care what Babar's agency did, that doesn't justify PCB doing what they did.

I totally disagree.

This was always the issue, the agency holding Pakistan to ransom. The PCB were well within their rights to clap back. They should have done a lot worse than what they did.
 
I am no fan of Rizwan but this is absolutely ridiculous.

Why make statements like this before a series? If you are contemplating a change in captaincy, do it behind closed doors. What’s the need to throw your current odi captain under the bus like this? It os extremely unprofessional and disrespectful. A captain should always feel like his board backs him.

Also, have the results really been this bad? PCB should have a very solid reason if they are to go ahead with this decision. Changing captains like on a whim has been this regimes mantra and it is such a bad look. No consistency. No backing of the players. You can’t produce leaders like this. Your own team won’t respect their captain because they’d know he’s here one day and not the next.

Just appalling conduct from the PCB - but hardly surprising
 
I am no fan of Rizwan but this is absolutely ridiculous.

Why make statements like this before a series? If you are contemplating a change in captaincy, do it behind closed doors. What’s the need to throw your current odi captain under the bus like this? It os extremely unprofessional and disrespectful. A captain should always feel like his board backs him.

Also, have the results really been this bad? PCB should have a very solid reason if they are to go ahead with this decision. Changing captains like on a whim has been this regimes mantra and it is such a bad look. No consistency. No backing of the players. You can’t produce leaders like this. Your own team won’t respect their captain because they’d know he’s here one day and not the next.

Just appalling conduct from the PCB - but hardly surprising
they do it so that the infighting among the players continues and the board can control them
 
If they wanted to remove him, why wasn't it done after the WI series? It makes no sense to do it last minute and create more chaos. Why is nothing ever planned out in Pakistan?

I have zero issues with removing him. In fact, he should be removed. He is an awful captain with an awful defensive & conservative mindset. We saw that play out in CT and then the team got demolished in NZ with none of the games being close. And then he manages to lose WI too. He bats and captains with an 80's mindset and it's no different than Babar. They need to finally start moving into the modern age. I seriously hope it's not Babar. Chose someone that will be positive and play forward thinking cricket.
 
If they wanted to remove him, why wasn't it done after the WI series? It makes no sense to do it last minute and create more chaos. Why is nothing ever planned out in Pakistan?

I have zero issues with removing him. In fact, he should be removed. He is an awful captain with an awful defensive & conservative mindset. We saw that play out in CT and then the team got demolished in NZ with none of the games being close. And then he manages to lose WI too. He bats and captains with an 80's mindset and it's no different than Babar. They need to finally start moving into the modern age. I seriously hope it's not Babar. Chose someone that will be positive and play forward thinking cricket.
I think the decision was made a long time ago, but it’s just coming to the fore now because they have to announce a new team.

The issue is that if you remove him from ODI captaincy before a major tournament like the AC, then you know how the Pakistan media and ex cricketers (which basically supports Babar and Rizwan a lot) would have been relentless in their hounding of the players selected.

It’s a smart move. Although I still think the hounding of Agha and the players selected for the Asia cup was terrible as it is during the tri series and Asia cup
 
I am no fan of Rizwan but this is absolutely ridiculous.

Why make statements like this before a series? If you are contemplating a change in captaincy, do it behind closed doors. What’s the need to throw your current odi captain under the bus like this? It os extremely unprofessional and disrespectful. A captain should always feel like his board backs him.
A captain should also back his board instead of throwing them under the bus like he did in New Zealand and numerous times during the PSL as well.

Rizwan koi Doodh kha dhula nahi hai.
 
This happens when the board is run by incompetent individuals.

removing the captain will not yield any positive results just after few months

captain should be given at least three years' time before making any decisions.

Ofcourse first captain's form and his place in the team should be secure and Rizwan is automic choice based on performance unlike Agha the T20 captain

:kp
 
This happens when the board is run by incompetent individuals.

removing the captain will not yield any positive results just after few months

captain should be given at least three years' time before making any decisions.

Ofcourse first captain's form and his place in the team should be secure and Rizwan is automic choice based on performance unlike Agha the T20 captain

:kp
Automatic* :kp
 
To be honest I would love agha to he captain but he hasn’t set the world alight with t20 captaincy but then it’s not really his forte and perhaps he’ll have more time in 50 overs.

SSA. I’m not sure what his credentials are. Seems a bit too young and just getting back to full fitness.

Rizwan: I don’t know what he’s done wrong really. You can only be as good as your bowlers allow.
 
I am no fan of Rizwan but this is absolutely ridiculous.

Why make statements like this before a series? If you are contemplating a change in captaincy, do it behind closed doors. What’s the need to throw your current odi captain under the bus like this? It os extremely unprofessional and disrespectful. A captain should always feel like his board backs him.

Also, have the results really been this bad? PCB should have a very solid reason if they are to go ahead with this decision. Changing captains like on a whim has been this regimes mantra and it is such a bad look. No consistency. No backing of the players. You can’t produce leaders like this. Your own team won’t respect their captain because they’d know he’s here one day and not the next.

Just appalling conduct from the PCB - but hardly surprising
PCB throw their captains under the bus about as quickly as they endorse them. Nothing new for them. We have seen what they did to Babar during 2023 World Cup and to Shaheen not long after that.

Without a doubt the most pathetic and unprofessional cricket board in the world.
 
They are masters of messing things up...they are such quacks who don't do surgery but botch up new issues
PCB throw their captains under the bus about as quickly as they endorse them. Nothing new for them. We have seen what they did to Babar during 2023 World Cup and to Shaheen not long after that.

Without a doubt the most pathetic and unprofessional cricket board in the world.
 
There is absolutely no need to change... who are you gonna bring???

Babar?? OH PLEASE SPARE HIM NOW...ENOUGH

Salman? makes sense in ODI but then his t20 captaincy should be taken away also.

Shaheen? I think so he is fit for t20s atm.
 
How is there absolutely no need to change?

Pakistan in 2023 under Babar and Pakistan in 2025 under Rizwan…

What’s the difference?
I already mentioned Salman here.. Let's remove both rizwan and Salman and make salman ODI captain where he actually belongs.. Shaheen for t20s.. Simple
 
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ODI CAPTAINCY... STAY ON TOPIC
I think it does

They have strongly emphasised on the Surrogate Company angle as an excuse to deflect criticism from Rizwan and Babar’s white ball incompetence and arguing that the PCB have launched a witch-hunt against the two.
 
I think it does

They have strongly emphasised on the Surrogate Company angle as an excuse to deflect criticism from Rizwan and Babar’s white ball incompetence and arguing that the PCB have launched a witch-hunt against the two.
That angle is completely irrelevant to the actual issue—performance concerns should be addressed on cricketing merit, not deflected through off-field distractions.
 
That angle is completely irrelevant to the actual issue—performance concerns should be addressed on cricketing merit, not deflected through off-field distractions.
Well, who’s going to tell Nauman Niaz and Rashid Latif this? You think we don’t know their stupid games?
 
Well, who’s going to tell Nauman Niaz and Rashid Latif this? You think we don’t know their stupid games?
Well I dont care about them... betting company has nothing to do with this thread. Find relevant thread and talk about this there
 
And the circus continues. There is no long-term planning. If they want to announce Shaheen as captain or Agha. Keep them for the next worldcup no matter the results.

For me, Agha should be the one as he has cemented his place in the ODI side and he should also be made captain in tests. Shaheen should be leading the T20 side with his eventual elevation to ODIs
 
“Reliable sources have revealed that the decision to replace Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan’s ODI captain was made several days ago, and formal confirmation is expected after the upcoming official meeting on October 20.

According to reports, Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to be named Pakistan’s new ODI captain following the meeting between the Selection and Advisory Committees.

Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the national side in the T20 format, and Shan Masood will retain his role as Test captain.

It has also been decided that Shaheen Shah Afridi’s tenure as ODI skipper will extend until the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, ensuring leadership stability in the 50-over format.

Similarly, Salman Ali Agha will remain in charge of the T20 squad until the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, while Shan Masood will continue as Test captain on a series-by-series basis, depending on team performance and upcoming challenges.The official announcement confirming these appointments is expected following the PCB’s formal proceedings later this week.“
 
“Reliable sources have revealed that the decision to replace Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan’s ODI captain was made several days ago, and formal confirmation is expected after the upcoming official meeting on October 20.

According to reports, Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to be named Pakistan’s new ODI captain following the meeting between the Selection and Advisory Committees.

Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the national side in the T20 format, and Shan Masood will retain his role as Test captain.

It has also been decided that Shaheen Shah Afridi’s tenure as ODI skipper will extend until the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, ensuring leadership stability in the 50-over format.

Similarly, Salman Ali Agha will remain in charge of the T20 squad until the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, while Shan Masood will continue as Test captain on a series-by-series basis, depending on team performance and upcoming challenges.The official announcement confirming these appointments is expected following the PCB’s formal proceedings later this week.“
:afridi someone is going to be happiest
 
I felt like this was going to be obvious that Rizwan was being

****

I felt like this was going to be obvious that Rizwan was being replaced as captain, but I think he will be replaced as a WK as well.

He is 33 years old & will be 35 in 2027 so it would be wise to look elsewhere.

As for Shaheen taking the captaincy, I personally am not sure. I wouldn't burden him with captaincy just yet, specially with him coming back into groove after awhile. Also with his injuries, it would be wise to manage his workload.

Agha as white-ball captain would have been fine. He seems to have some credibility in ODI cricket right now, so going with him wouldn't have been a bad idea.
 
To be honest I would love agha to he captain but he hasn’t set the world alight with t20 captaincy but then it’s not really his forte and perhaps he’ll have more time in 50 overs.

SSA. I’m not sure what his credentials are. Seems a bit too young and just getting back to full fitness.

Rizwan: I don’t know what he’s done wrong really. You can only be as good as your bowlers allow.
Rizwan is being replaced because he has asked to have a say in decision making for ODI squads, which he was not granted in the championship trophy, and he has pointed that out numerous times. PCB refuse to give him this guarantee, hence they are replacing him. Otherwise makes no sense to remove him so quickly.
 
This is highly interesting

What’s Rizwan done to p off the selectors and white ball management?

I could sense his yapping was going to land him in serious trouble.
This is highly interesting

What’s Rizwan done to p off the selectors and white ball management?

I could sense his yapping was going to land him in serious trouble.

When has the PCB under the Noon League government ever been fair to players from Khyber? They always make sure the national team remains Lahore Centric
 
Rizwan is being replaced because he has asked to have a say in decision making for ODI squads, which he was not granted in the championship trophy, and he has pointed that out numerous times. PCB refuse to give him this guarantee, hence they are replacing him. Otherwise makes no sense to remove him so quickly.
Rizwan wants credit for wins and wants to shift the blame on the selectors for losses.
 
When has the PCB under the Noon League government ever been fair to players from Khyber? They always make sure the national team remains Lahore Centric
Stupid argument

Is that why they are backing Mo Harris in T20s even though people have been after his head for months??
 
Rizwan’s captaincy was uninspiring (cf. over-rated and overhyped Salman Agha and dull Babar Azam) but should continue as wicket keeper in ODIs. Much better than Haris the hack who leaves his brain at home while batting.

In ODIs in 2025, Rizwan has the second highest average (36) among Pak players. So there is no real justification to drop him yet.
 
@mominsaigol

Rizwan wrote a letter apparently to Hesson demanding absolute authority in selection and playing XI :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
He has no authority. He signed his death warrant with a 0% t20 win record.

His greatest achievement in odi is him managing to win with a side against SA and Australia where he himself had virtually no control and aqib intervened.

Once his ego took over and he made his own selections CT 2025 happened.

People need to stop pretending like he's a good captain. He is worse then Shan by miles and I am critical of Shan as Shan is way too defensive(granted Shan has improved now).

Actually I'm insulting Shan, He is honestly worse then Babar Azam. Babar Azam stuck to a predictable pattern but that predictable pattern worked in bi laterals.

This guy sticks to nonsense.
 
I couldn’t help but notice a considerable amount of negative sentiment towards Riz in this thread. I feel it's important to address this and provide a balanced perspective. While it's true that we have experienced a few recent T20 victories Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and UAE under Agha. But we are forgetting that we were thrashed 3 nil by India.

Riz should be the first name on the sheet for ODIs. He is exceptional against quality spin in the middle overs, and his wicket-keeping skills are top-notch. Furthermore, he still has a solid six years of cricket ahead of him. Let's not forget the fantastic ODI wins he has delivered for us in Australia and South Africa.

In light of these points, I strongly believe that Riz deserves to remain the ODI captain. His experience, skills, and past performances make him an invaluable asset to our team.
 
I don't know why people don't understand basic things. We don't have any genius, very good or even a good captain in our team. So stop changing captains every second series. That's ridiculous.

Just don't make someone captain if he isn't sure in the playing XI.
 
I couldn’t help but notice a considerable amount of negative sentiment towards Riz in this thread. I feel it's important to address this and provide a balanced perspective. While it's true that we have experienced a few recent T20 victories Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and UAE under Agha. But we are forgetting that we were thrashed 3 nil by India.

Riz should be the first name on the sheet for ODIs. He is exceptional against quality spin in the middle overs, and his wicket-keeping skills are top-notch. Furthermore, he still has a solid six years of cricket ahead of him. Let's not forget the fantastic ODI wins he has delivered for us in Australia and South Africa.

In light of these points, I strongly believe that Riz deserves to remain the ODI captain. His experience, skills, and past performances make him an invaluable asset to our team.
Thats what people need to understand.
Pak has no option but to continue with riz as ODI as changing and chopping captains every 10 matches will not bring out any results.
Shaheen has hardly come back into some form and u want to make him captain
Allah hi hafiz hai is mulk ka
 
I don't know why people don't understand basic things. We don't have any genius, very good or even a good captain in our team. So stop changing captains every second series. That's ridiculous.

Just don't make someone captain if he isn't sure in the playing XI.
I think u are one of the persons here who understand sense.
Others are just talking rubbish.
Rizwan should be first given 20-25 odis and then discussion should be held.
13 odis is too small a sample size.
 
Rizwan is being replaced because he has asked to have a say in decision making for ODI squads, which he was not granted in the championship trophy, and he has pointed that out numerous times. PCB refuse to give him this guarantee, hence they are replacing him. Otherwise makes no sense to remove him so quickly.
Hmm. But a captain should have some say in team selection.
 
What's the guarantee that next captain will be a PCB puppet? Are they going to start playing Shan Masood in ODIs?
 
What's the guarantee that next captain will be a PCB puppet? Are they going to start playing Shan Masood in ODIs?
PCB have two puppets in Agha and Shan already, they want third one, but will be shocked as Shaheen will not be so abiding as they think.
 
Rizwan’s letter to Hesson: “I want full authority!”

Hesson’s response: “Teri boothi hai authority lene wali?”
 
Rizwan wants credit for wins and wants to shift the blame on the selectors for losses.
He won Pakistan series in two countries where it was difficult for Pakistan with teams he was happy with., but then they gave him team which he was not including gems like Faheem over Jamal when he was in no form what so ever, and chose team with one spinner in championship team.
 
He won Pakistan series in two countries where it was difficult for Pakistan with teams he was happy with., but then they gave him team which he was not including gems like Faheem over Jamal when he was in no form what so ever, and chose team with one spinner in championship team.
Stop chatting nonsense

He had no issues with the team selected for the CT as long as he got his favourites Naseem, Shaheen and Rauf as the trio of seamers. He wanted all 3. He wasn’t going to drop any one of the 3 to add an extra spinner.

It’s abundantly clear too that Faheem Ashraf is actually a very good and handy player, so if Rizwan had an issue with him….well then Rizwan is a certified idiot!
 
Salman is better suited as ODI captain and Shaheen as T20I.

PCB is on track to make another blunder
Well Salman himself isn't Mike Brearely either and is 32 as well. Not a long term option either.
It's another case of damned if you do damned if you don't.
The replacements aren't much better either.
 
I couldn’t help but notice a considerable amount of negative sentiment towards Riz in this thread. I feel it's important to address this and provide a balanced perspective. While it's true that we have experienced a few recent T20 victories Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and UAE under Agha. But we are forgetting that we were thrashed 3 nil by India.

Riz should be the first name on the sheet for ODIs. He is exceptional against quality spin in the middle overs, and his wicket-keeping skills are top-notch. Furthermore, he still has a solid six years of cricket ahead of him. Let's not forget the fantastic ODI wins he has delivered for us in Australia and South Africa.

In light of these points, I strongly believe that Riz deserves to remain the ODI captain. His experience, skills, and past performances make him an invaluable asset to our team.
If your captain your personal achievements mean nothing
We had Moin Karachi, Rashid Bangladeshi and now we have rizwan narcissus
 
Poor decision to give captaincy to your front line fast bowler who after a couple of injury plagued down years is finally getting back into his groove. Why burden him? He’s young, he can captain later in his career as he develops his game more.

Agha is doing fine, nothing spectacular but he’s growing into the captaincy, let him take the reigns for th rest of this cycle.
 
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