RAWALPINDI: After marking his captaincy debut with a 2–1 series win over a depleted South African side, Pakistan’s new skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi faces a far tougher assignment when his team hosts a full-strength Sri Lanka in a three-match One-day International series starting Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The victory against South Africa gave the 25-year-old left-arm pacer a positive start to his leadership tenure, but the upcoming challenge will test both his tactics and temperament. The Proteas had been missing key names including Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, and Keshav Maharaj, whereas Sri Lanka — led by Charith Asalanka — arrived with momentum and confidence after winning six of their last seven ODI series, including against India and Australia, climbing to fourth in the ICC ODI rankings.
Speaking ahead of the series, Shaheen revealed that his elevation came after a private discussion with Mohammad Rizwan, the outgoing captain, who stepped aside voluntarily. “Rizwan was the only person I spoke to before the decision,” Shaheen said. “He’s a great human being and felt it was best for the team if I took over.”
Shaheen knows what it feels like to be replaced — he briefly led Pakistan’s T20 side in 2024 before Babar Azam was reinstated. Yet he insists he bears no grudges. “I’m not too proud to ignore the advice of former captains. Everyone’s input matters,” he added.
He also defended both Babar and Rizwan, who have struggled for runs lately, stressing that accountability must be collective. “It’s not just Babar or Rizwan — every player has to take responsibility if we want to grow as a team,” he said, noting Rizwan remains Pakistan’s top ODI scorer since 2023.
On Babar’s lean patch, Shaheen was optimistic: “He may have had a couple of quiet games, but he’s in good touch. I’m sure a century is around the corner.”
While the Pakistan Cricket Board has not clarified how long Shaheen will remain captain, he is already thinking long-term. “My job is to improve our one-day cricket and prepare this team for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s Asalanka, meanwhile, played down expectations but predicted a competitive series. “Pakistan played very good cricket against South Africa,” he said. “We’ve been in form too. For us, it’s about keeping things simple and sticking to our basics.”
The series continues on Thursday and Saturday, with both teams looking to cement their credentials ahead of a packed international calendar.
