Pakistan names Shaheen Afridi ODI captain, replacing Mohammad Rizwan amid poor form.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has named pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new ODI captain, replacing Mohammad Rizwan, in a decision announced after the first day of the Rawalpindi Test against South Africa. The move, made following a meeting in Islamabad involving the selection committee and white-ball coach Mike Hesson, was not accompanied by an official explanation, and Rizwan was not mentioned in the statement. The change follows a decline in ODI performance, including an early exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy, and comes as Pakistan prepares for a three-match ODI series against South Africa. Afridi, who previously led the team in a T20I series in January 2024, returns to leadership after being replaced by Babar Azam. He has been Pakistan’s top ODI wicket-taker since the 2023 World Cup, taking 45 wickets across formats.