Pakistan appoints fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as its new ODI captain

The Pakistan Cricket Board appointed left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as its new ODI captain on Monday (October 20, 2025).

Afridi replaces Mohammad Rizwan and will lead Pakistan in next month’s three-match home series against South Africa in Faisalabad from Nov. 4-8. The cricket board did not say why Rizwan was removed from the captaincy.

The PCB said in a statement that Afridi’s appointment was finalized in a meeting attended by Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, director of high performance Aqib Javed and members of the selection committee.

Last Saturday, Hesson had called for the meeting to make a final decision on the ODI captaincy.

Rizwan won three successive away ODI series against Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa after he was appointed captain last year. However, there was dip in results this year after Pakistan lost the home tri-series final to New Zealand, made an early exit from the Champions Trophy and also lost 2-1 in the West Indies.

Rizwan has been Pakistan's second highest run-scorer in ODIs this year with 361 runs. Afridi has taken 131 wickets in 66 ODIs. He was removed from the T20 captaincy after Pakistan suffered a 4-1 loss in New Zealand last year in his debut series as skipper.

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