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Shaheen Shah Afridi replaces Mohammed Rizwan as Pakistan's new ODI captain

Is Shaheen Shah Afridi the right choice to lead Pakistan in ODIs?

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The Bald Eagle

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Shaheen Shah Afridi named ODI captain

Lahore, 20 October 2025:

Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named captain of the Pakistan men’s ODI team, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced today. The left-arm fast bowler will lead Pakistan in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, scheduled to take place at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from 4 to 8 November.

Shaheen’s appointment for the upcoming series was finalised today following a meeting held in Islamabad, which was attended by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director High Performance Aqib Javed and members of the selection committee.

The 25-year-old fast bowler has represented Pakistan in 66 ODIs and 92 T20Is, taking a combined 249 wickets. In 32 Tests, excluding the ongoing second Test against South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Shaheen has claimed 120 wickets.

Shaheen has previously led Pakistan in five T20Is against New Zealand in their own backyard in 2024.
 
The captain who led Pakistan Cricket to a series win in Australia and South Africa is replaced whereas a test captain who presided over a test whitewash at home against Bangladesh and a test loss at home against the mighty West Indies and a T20 captain who doesn't even merit a position in the T20 team are allowed to remain as captains.

This sums up everything wrong in Pakistan Cricket
 
I'm all for giving someone a fair chance and I think Rizwan got a fair chance. It would have been one thing if it was just the Champions Trophy debacle but losing bilateral series to New Zealand (missing many key players) and West Indies showed that the team was just on a continual downward trajectory. Losing an ODI series to this West Indies is kinda unforgivable, because they haven't even qualified for the last two ICC 50-over tournaments, and they hammered Pakistan in the last match of that series.
 
Major said:
I have no issues with Shaheen being captain, issue is why was he removed in ther first place jjust to bring in two other guys and now you want to go back to him.
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It made no sense for them to do that considering the fact that Shaheen had only captained one T20I series. And not only that but then they went back to Babar, whose stint as captain had already been a failure.
 
It should be noted that Shaheen Afridi is unable to use the DRS properly even on his own bowling

Now he will be captaining this team

He wasn't even bowling fast until the final of the Asia Cup final. Nobody knows the reason behind it

Expect a close relative of his making decisions about the team, behind the scenes....
 
Shaeen should have replaced salman agha as t20 captain or are the going to do that as well shaeen as white ball all format captain.
 
Under normal circumstances, I'd call it a good decision because Rizwan wasn't fit to bat at No. 4, and as captain, he didn't want to bat at any other position.

But this is the PCB; decisions here aren't based on merit, logic, or sense. They're rooted in corruption and often times based on favoritism or enmity.

This circus will continue, and our dream of building a good team will forever remain a pipe dream.
 
Stupid of Shaheen to accept captaincy also . Should have turned it down after being humiliated by Naqvi in 2024. Was perfect time to give it back to him and support Rizwan
 
Ahmed216 said:
Under normal circumstances, I'd call it a good decision because Rizwan wasn't fit to bat at No. 4, and as captain, he didn't want to bat at any other position.

But this is the PCB; decisions here aren't based on merit, logic, or sense. They're rooted in corruption and often times based on favoritism or enmity.

This circus will continue, and our dream of building a good team will forever remain a pipe dream.
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Can't really build a good team if you lack the system.
 
Asif321 said:
Stupid of Shaheen to accept captaincy also . Should have turned it down after being humiliated by Naqvi in 2024. Was perfect time to give it back to him and support Rizwan
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Its everyone for himself in Pakistan Cricket. No one sticks for another. Everyone saves their own behind.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I'm all for giving someone a fair chance and I think Rizwan got a fair chance. It would have been one thing if it was just the Champions Trophy debacle but losing bilateral series to New Zealand (missing many key players) and West Indies showed that the team was just on a continual downward trajectory. Losing an ODI series to this West Indies is kinda unforgivable, because they haven't even qualified for the last two ICC 50-over tournaments, and they hammered Pakistan in the last match of that series.
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Salman Ali Agha too lost the T-20 series against NZ, Bangladesh and the Asia Cup Final which had 3 successive losses against India. Shan Masood has a whitewash against Bangladesh at home and a loss to WI in test matches at home. What justification exists for Masood and Agha being allowed to continue in their roles but for Rizwan to be axed.

There were reports that Rizwan was demanding selection powers, authority. It is pretty clear that the PCB feels very comfortable with Yes men in their system.
 
Ahmed216 said:
Under normal circumstances, I'd call it a good decision because Rizwan wasn't fit to bat at No. 4, and as captain, he didn't want to bat at any other position.

But this is the PCB; decisions here aren't based on merit, logic, or sense. They're rooted in corruption and often times based on favoritism or enmity.

This circus will continue, and our dream of building a good team will forever remain a pipe dream.
Click to expand...

Both the decisions are politically driven

Rizwan was made captain because he said complimentary things about Naqvi

Shaheen is being made captain because his relative has criticized a opponent political party's leader and favored the Generals

This is why our cricket is declining
 
What will you do if Shaheen loses couple of upcoming series ? And goes all aggressive in press ? Who’s next in line ? Shadab Khan. ?
 
Asif321 said:
Stupid of Shaheen to accept captaincy also . Should have turned it down after being humiliated by Naqvi in 2024. Was perfect time to give it back to him and support Rizwan
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Savak said:
Its everyone for himself in Pakistan Cricket. No one sticks for another. Everyone saves their own behind.
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That makes no sense? He was ousted as captain for Bobby and now that he's

A) Gotten captaincy

B) Is still nice enough to let babar and rizwan play and isn't hiding behind agendas

Yet he's selfish and its every man for himself 🤣🤣🤣.

What are you on about.
 
Babar got 5 plus years as captain. One year is insufficient time for captaincy. Has to be atleast 2 years minimum. This decision has apparently been made by Hesson and no explanation is being offered as to why Rizwan has been removed. Reporters are reporting that Rizwan's place in the ODI team too is now under threat.
 
I was sympathetic to Shaheen when he was backstabbed by Babar. However he backstabbed Rizwan here and hence therefore no more sympathies with him.
 
Savak said:
Salman Ali Agha too lost the T-20 series against NZ, Bangladesh and the Asia Cup Final which had 3 successive losses against India. Shan Masood has a whitewash against Bangladesh at home and a loss to WI in test matches at home. What justification exists for Masood and Agha being allowed to continue in their roles but for Rizwan to be axed.

There were reports that Rizwan was demanding selection powers, authority. It is pretty clear that the PCB feels very comfortable with Yes men in their system.
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Agha should not be allowed to continue, he doesn't even make the T20 team playing XI based on current form.

Well, I don't go by rumors, I just look at the results, and Pakistan's results have been really poor for the past year. Plus, if you're not confident in someone's leadership then it's better to make a decision like this now, rather than later, because that will give the team management and the captain atleast a year and a half to plan for the World Cup.
 
Strange. Agha was made T20 captain when he probably should have been given ODI captaincy where he has been playing well.

Shaheen, who has been struggling in ODIs off late, given ODI captaincy.
 
Savak said:
I was sympathetic to Shaheen when he was backstabbed by Babar. However he backstabbed Rizwan here and hence therefore no more sympathies with him.
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By you approximation, anyone who becomes captain of the Pakistan cricket team is backstabbing his fellow comrade.
 
Savak said:
I was sympathetic to Shaheen when he was backstabbed by Babar. However he backstabbed Rizwan here and hence therefore no more sympathies with him.
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What nonsense

How has Shaheen backstabbed Rizwan? If you don’t know the details, I suggest you zip it!
 
Rana said:
Shaheen is our captain for the 2027 World Cup

I back him all the way.
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I back Shaheen too and he should never have been removed after just one series.

At this point however, he has been very poor in ODIs. Does he merit a place in the playing XI? Well let's see, I am a bit skeptical but glad we got rid of Rizwan.

Now need to immediately kick out the non-deserving Salman Agha from T20s.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Agha should not be allowed to continue, he doesn't even make the T20 team playing XI based on current form.

Well, I don't go by rumors, I just look at the results, and Pakistan's results have been really poor for the past year. Plus, if you're not confident in someone's leadership then it's better to make a decision like this now, rather than later, because that will give the team management and the captain atleast a year and a half to plan for the World Cup.
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Rizwan has not been removed for results, if that was the case then both Shan and Agha would had been replaced too. As I reported few days back Rizwan's will be replaced by Shaheen because Rizwan does not want to be dummy captain and have some say in selection. PCB does not want anyone who would demand anything. He was unhappy with squad for Championship Trophy but was over ruled.
 
PakPremi said:
Rizwan has not been removed for results, if that was the case then both Shan and Agha would had been replaced too. As I reported few days back Rizwan's will be replaced by Shaheen because Rizwan does not want to be dummy captain and have some say in selection. PCB does not want anyone who would demand anything.
Click to expand...

This basically. Mike Hesson is the one who called the shots here therefore i suspect he had some clashes with Mike Hesson as well.
 
Rana said:
What nonsense

How has Shaheen backstabbed Rizwan? If you don’t know the details, I suggest you zip it!
Click to expand...

I know enough about Pakistan Cricket and how individuals put their own personal self interests ahead of the team. I expect Shaheen to show some solidarity behind his team mate given that he himself knows what it is like to have the captaincy snatched away from him against his will.
 
I want to be captain!

Reminds me of Ijaz Butt era ... when anyone and everyone became a captain.

"Mannu Kaptaan Banao"

"Nai nai Butt Saab, mannu Banao"

"Theek ae puttar, tu ban ja"

Dramaybaaz!
 
PakPremi said:
Rizwan has not been removed for results, if that was the case then both Shan and Agha would had been replaced too. As I reported few days back Rizwan's will be replaced by Shaheen because Rizwan does not want to be dummy captain and have some say in selection. PCB does not want anyone who would demand anything. He was unhappy with squad for Championship Trophy but was over ruled.
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Rizwan definitely not gonna be a puppet dancing on a string for anyone
 
I am alright with this but think Shaheen for T20’s and Agha for ODI’s would have been better.

But with the T20 WC on the horizon they are setting up Agha’s replacement, am not sure how I feel about that because Agha has been a selfless leader.

But the good news is, the Molvi is being carried off the pitch & I can help with that:


33e5469479b037b52f69116139347a19.gif
 
Full support for SSA , hopefully he will stay fit to manage the load. PCB lived upto their reputation , chaotic mgmt. It is
 
Oh man! Just when you think it can’t get more chaotic, PCB surprises you.

Have we ever had a more directionless, clueless and incompetent board? Naqvi has outdone even Ijaz Butt - that too by a huge margin!

Now, can anyone ask how you appoint someone, you recently removed as captain in format, the captain for another? This is just bizarre!

Naqvi the clown.
 
It's interesting to see that all the players who put themselves over the team (except for Agha) are being made captains of white-ball, recently

One indicator is that they all abuse the DRS
 
Pakistan cricket is not professional. Having two white-ball captains will result in more groupings

Being a professional cricketer doesn't only mean that the player should get a cheque for playing cricket. It's a two way street. Players also have to perform in every and all conditions. Performance has to be consistent. Players have to keep the spectators and viewers interested through their performances as a group, not as an individuals only. Fans should feel that they are getting their time's and money's worth when they are watching cricketers playing

Players are not delivering the above because of the lack of direction and wide-spread ambiguity in the team. They are too busy doing politics. Politics take over the teams in the presence of doubt.

Right now professional cricket in Pakistan only means players are getting paid. Fans are not getting their time and money's worth.
 
How long does he last? 3-5 series at best.

Problem is not captaincy per se, its the mindset of every member, everyone seem to be just concerned about their individual accomplishment over team results.

Just watch now that Shaheen is captain, he will act like he is proper allrounder and come 5 down.
 
Without a doubt, PCB has has numerous opportunities to appoint Rizwan as captain of all or various formats, but their was always something about him that they didn't like.

Is it his antics, is it his lack of marketability or is it his lack of leadership ability/brains or all the above. You also have to remember, Rizwan is 33 & at best, probably has another year or two left in him to play for Pakistan.

It also seems like he will probably be dropped out of the format & likely will play just test cricket. He is not part of T20i (finally) & probably ODI which would imply a new wicketkeeper batter will get a chance & should get a lengthy chance at that.

Now, Shaheen taking the captaincy, is a interesting choice. PCB are likely not to be playing much ODIs this year atleast maybe next year ahead of the ODI World Cup. But regardless Shaheen does have a tendency to be little too emotional & injury prone for which he will need to be managed.

Which is why it's surprising he was selected. Babar Azam should not be selected as captain ever again, Agha wasn't helped by the T20 captaincy performances & Shadab Khan is injured. So the senior player was Shaheen or Haris Rauf who is reckless & inconsistent as they come. Fakhar Zaman, doesn't really come across as a captain type as well nor does he have age on his side.
 
Alhamdolillah beautiful decision

Thank you Naqvi sab

Thank You Mike Hesson

Thank you Aqib Javed

Love you Pakistan cricket board!
 
Cricket Warrior said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1980323876518420787
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So we have the son in laws/relatives of saqlain mushtaq,abdul qadir and shahid afridi
No one of them are from Karachi so that rules that out
Two of them are from KP so that’s a non issue too
All born into working class families apart from Shaheen whose brother riaz afridi played for pakistan

Not sure what classism,ethnic or other differences there are between these players
 
PakPremi said:
Rizwan has not been removed for results, if that was the case then both Shan and Agha would had been replaced too. As I reported few days back Rizwan's will be replaced by Shaheen because Rizwan does not want to be dummy captain and have some say in selection. PCB does not want anyone who would demand anything. He was unhappy with squad for Championship Trophy but was over ruled.
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This rumor would make sense if Shaheen was a yes man, which he is not. And I'm pretty sure that PCB and Hesson are well-aware that he is not a yes man.
 
Those who are disagreeing with Latif's tweet...although he has given examples from recent times but he is talking in context of Pak cricket history. He is right.

But he forgot to mention that he has also played a role in it...
 
I don't think the decision is bad per se, but obviously how PCB have gone about it is usual dumb PCB things.
Why did you make Rizwan captain in the first place if you weren't 100% sure he would be your captain until 2027 ODI WC. This is why PCB is a circus. When you make decisions like appointing captains, you do it with a long term plan & thinking.

Instead he is out as T20 captain in a few months and removed ODI captain not that long after. It is hard to feel that bad about Rizwan though. The coward and conservative mindset he instilled in this team under his short term would have done severe long term harm.

I truly hope, the conversation with Shaheen has been that he will stay as ODI captain until 2027 no matter what and you build a team for that. The WC is in SA, in conditions which will suit Shaheen's bowling as well. Hope Shaheen can install a positive mindset with the team.
 
Just a few things, Rizwan never got a fair chance, and anyone suggesting otherwise clearly has no idea how cricket actually works or has been sleepwalking through Pakistan cricket over the past year. This has been one of the most chaotic and unstable periods in our cricket history, with constant chopping and changing, captains not being allowed to have any say in squad selection or even the playing XI.

Both Gillespie and Gary have openly talked about this and exposed Naqvi and Aaqib for interfering. The sad truth is that Pakistan cricket is currently being run by clowns and followed by fans who have little understanding of what leadership in a cricket setup really means, or what qualities you should look for before appointing a captain.

Rashid’s tweet summed it up perfectly. I welcome Shaheen as ODI captain, he’s a good leader and I’m sure he’ll do his absolute best for his team and teammates. But I can’t praise the decision itself, because it’s just another move in the musical chairs being played by Naqvi and Aaqib. Remember, they removed Shaheen right before the World Cup, and now they’re giving him the ODI captaincy. If anything, he should’ve been made captain for both ODIs and T20Is, since the other captain never truly deserved that role in the first place.

Nothing will change if the PCB continues to expect Shaheen to be a puppet, just like they expected Rizwan and Salman to be. Rizwan refused, which cost him. Salman, on the other hand, accepted the role quietly, and that’s the only reason he’s still holding on to the T20I captaincy. But he knows very well that his position is under threat, as it should be.

That said, Shaheen is a strong-minded character, backed by Shahid Afridi and several ex-cricketers. A clash between him and the Naqvi–Aaqib duo seems inevitable, and when it happens, it’ll be fascinating to see who comes out on top. My guess? A tussle with Shaheen might be the final nail in the coffin for this PCB administration. They won’t survive another fallout with a high-profile captain or coach. The noise from ex-cricketers and journalists will be too loud this time, and calls for a new chairman and chief selector will follow. So yes, have your popcorn ready.

As for Shaheen, I genuinely wish him well and hope he’s eventually given the T20I captaincy too. You simply can’t have three different captains for three formats in Pakistan, that’s a recipe for disaster.

Rizwan, meanwhile, remains one of the most valuable players across all formats. In a way, this might turn out to be good for him, he can now focus solely on his game and perform with more consistency.

Good luck to Pakistan cricket. All we can do is hope for the best and pray that our setup stops being so corrupt and chaotic, where captains, coaches, and selectors are treated like characters in a video game that can be swapped around at will.
 
As usual zero process and just riding the popularity wave from PCB

I feel bad for all these players - Rizwan, Shaheen, Salman who are treated by PCB chairmen like mascots/scapegoats
 
pratiktc said:
As usual zero process and just riding the popularity wave from PCB

I feel bad for all these players - Rizwan, Shaheen, Salman who are treated by PCB chairmen like mascots/scapegoats
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So the BCCI are doing things properly?

How th is Gill the T20 vice captain??
 
Savak said:
I know enough about Pakistan Cricket and how individuals put their own personal self interests ahead of the team. I expect Shaheen to show some solidarity behind his team mate given that he himself knows what it is like to have the captaincy snatched away from him against his will.
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Shaheen is under no obligation to be the better person.

Who stood for him when he was made captain over Babar?

Rizwan didn’t oblige to his call properly when Shaheen wanted Saim to open the innings and ideally Farhan to open with Saim in NZ 2024….

Rizwan flat out refused to vacate the opening spot and also made comments about how the nations favourite opening pair was being disturbed! Rizwan’s behaviour on that tour was for everyone to see, how he was clearly grouping up with Babar.

I want Shaheen to boot Rizwan out of the side for good. Babar is a bit difficult but I’m sure he will dig his own grave with his crappy performances.
 
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