New Delhi, October 21 (Udaipur Kiran): In a major shake-up, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced that Shaheen Shah Afridi will take over as the new captain of Pakistan’s One Day International (ODI) team, replacing Mohammad Rizwan. The decision was made after a high-level meeting between the selection committee and white-ball coach Mike Hesson in Islamabad.

The announcement came shortly after the opening day of Pakistan’s ongoing Test match against South Africa in Rawalpindi, where both Rizwan (33) and Afridi (25) are part of the playing XI.

Interestingly, the PCB statement did not mention Rizwan by name or specify the reason for his removal. It merely stated that the leadership change was a “strategic decision” made following discussions between the coach and the board.

According to board sources, the move had broad internal support and was not based solely on the coach’s recommendation.

Rizwan’s Tenure and Performance

Rizwan had been appointed as ODI captain last year and initially led Pakistan to series wins against Australia and South Africa. However, the team’s performance dipped in 2025, particularly during the Champions Trophy, where Pakistan suffered an early exit at home.

Despite the team’s inconsistent results, Rizwan’s individual form remained steady — he has been among Pakistan’s top run-scorers with an average of around 42 in ODIs.

Shaheen’s Second Chance as Captain

For Shaheen Afridi, this marks his second stint as captain. He previously led Pakistan in the T20I series against New Zealand in January 2024, but his tenure ended in disappointment after a 4-1 series loss. The PCB then reinstated Babar Azam as T20 captain.

Afridi, however, has been in exceptional form as a bowler. He finished last year as Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker and was instrumental in series victories against South Africa and Australia. Since the 2023 World Cup, no fast bowler from a full-member nation has come close to his 45-wicket tally across formats.

Pakistan’s Split Captaincy Strategy

The PCB continues its policy of split captaincy across formats — with different leaders for Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Shaheen’s appointment is seen as an effort to inject renewed energy and aggression into the ODI setup ahead of key international assignments.

Pakistan’s first ODI series under Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy will take place next month in Faisalabad, where the team will host South Africa for a three-match series.