KEY POINTS
- Afridi revealed he consulted Rizwan before accepting the ODI captaincy.
- Rizwan, who led Pakistan in 20 ODIs, had a mixed record, with a win percentage of 45%.
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: Shaheen Shah Afridi has revealed that his appointment as Pakistan’s new ODI captain came after consulting his predecessor, Mohammad Rizwan, who voluntarily stepped down from the role.
Afridi, who was officially handed the captaincy ahead of Pakistan’s home series against South Africa last month, shared details of his conversation with Rizwan, emphasizing the mutual respect and understanding between the two players.
The left-arm pacer revealed that Rizwan was the only player he approached before accepting the responsibility of leading the team.
“Rizwan is a good human being, and he himself decided that he was stepping back,” Afridi said in a pre-series press conference at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, as Pakistan is gearing up for their three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting on Tuesday.
“I consulted him about taking over the captaincy, and he supported my decision to lead the team.”
Rizwan, who led Pakistan in 20 ODIs, had a mixed record with the team, winning 9 and losing 11, with a win percentage of 45%. Despite some challenges in his tenure, Rizwan’s decision to step aside was a reflection of his commitment to the team’s collective success.
Pakistan captain @iShaheenAfridi's pre-series press conference at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Full video ➡️ https://t.co/d8P9OTAHmH#PAKvSL | #JeetKaScene pic.twitter.com/snvlnhBuM4
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 10, 2025
The 33-year-old was appointed ODI and T20I captain in October 2024, ahead of Pakistan’s tours of Australia and Zimbabwe.
However, his leadership in the T20I format was met with disappointing results, with Pakistan losing all four T20Is under his captaincy.
As a result, Rizwan was removed from the T20I captaincy, with all-rounder Salman Ali Agha stepping into the role for the New Zealand series.
Afridi, now in charge of the ODI team, will be looking to build on Pakistan’s recent success, including their series win against South Africa.
His leadership will be tested as Pakistan prepares to take on Sri Lanka, aiming to extend their momentum and establish consistency in the 50-over format.
