Key points
- Shaheen Afridi replaces Rizwan as ODI captain
- PCB confirms Afridi as 32nd ODI skipper
- Pakistan’s leadership instability highlighted since 2023
ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Rashid Latif has criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to appoint left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new ODI captain, replacing wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan.
Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Latif shared a detailed timeline of Pakistan’s frequent captaincy changes, drawing attention to the ongoing instability in leadership since March 2023.
He described the PCB’s approach as an example of the “divide and rule” policy, a strategy used to maintain control by fostering divisions.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi named ODI captain,” Latif wrote.
“The ‘divide and rule’ policy is a political strategy to gain and maintain power by creating and exploiting divisions within a population, such as religious, ethnic, or team-based differences. Pakistan is the only country that cannot even produce a decent captain or leader.”
Latif then provided a timeline of Pakistan’s captaincy changes:
- 13 March 2023 – Shadab Khan captained Pakistan against Afghanistan in Sharjah (Chairman: Najam Sethi)
- 15 November 2023 – Babar Azam resigned as captain across all formats (Chairman: Zaka Ashraf)
- 15 November 2023 – Shaheen Afridi appointed T20I captain (Chairman: Zaka Ashraf)
- 15 November 2023 – Shan Masood named Test captain (Chairman: Zaka Ashraf)
- 29 March 2024 – Shaheen Afridi removed as white-ball captain (Chairman: Mohsin Naqvi)
- 31 March 2024 – Babar Azam reappointed T20I captain for T20 World Cup 2024 (Chairman: Mohsin Naqvi)
- 1 October 2024 – Babar Azam resigned as white-ball captain (Chairman: Mohsin Naqvi)
- 27 October 2024 – Mohammad Rizwan appointed white-ball captain (Chairman: Mohsin Naqvi)
- 4 March 2025 – Salman Ali Agha announced as T20I captain (Chairman: Mohsin Naqvi)
- 20 October 2025 – Shaheen Shah Afridi named ODI captain (Chairman: Mohsin Naqvi)
The PCB officially confirmed on Monday that Shaheen Shah Afridi has been appointed as Pakistan’s 32nd ODI captain.
White-ball head coach
The decision was finalised during a meeting in Islamabad attended by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed, and members of the selection committee.
Shaheen’s first task as ODI captain will be leading Pakistan in a three-match home series against South Africa from November 4 to 8 at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium.
The 24-year-old previously captained Pakistan’s T20I team during the five-match series against New Zealand in January 2024. However, after Pakistan’s 4-1 series defeat, he was replaced by Babar Azam, who went on to lead the side in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan led Pakistan in 20 ODIs, winning nine and losing eleven, with a 45 per cent win rate. Appointed as both ODI and T20I captain in October 2024, Rizwan’s T20I tenure ended after Pakistan lost all four matches under his leadership, prompting the PCB to hand the T20I captaincy to Salman Ali Agha ahead of the New Zealand tour.
