This week, the Pakistan cricket leadership experienced another drastic change. The Pakistan Cricket Board dismissed Mohammad Rizwan from the captaincy position in one-day internationals and gave the responsibility to fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. This change has been very frequent in Pakistan’s leadership structure since the end of 2023.
The announcement was made on October 20, 2025, after a meeting in Islamabad. The white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, the Director of High Performance Aqib Javed and the selection committee members were all part of the consultations that led to this decision.
The Reason for Rizwan Losing the Position
Various sources indicate different factors that contributed to this unexpected change. One such claim from the people involved with the issue is that Rizwan had turned down an offer of working with the firms related to some commercial activities that the board wanted to promote. He allegedly told the PCB that he wouldn’t be the face of these organizations which consequently made the relationship between him and the board slightly tense.
This incident is not isolated as it was the second time Rizwan took such a position. Earlier this year he was with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League, where he took the stand of wearing a jersey without the main sponsor’s logo as the company was not on the list of supporters he wanted to promote.
Some cricket experts also mentioned other factors that might have competed a role:
- Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif suggested that Rizwan’s outspoken views on Palestine could have influenced the board’s decision
- Reports indicate that Rizwan’s tendency to bring religious discussions into the dressing room made some people uncomfortable
- The team’s poor showing at the Champions Trophy, where they crashed out without a single victory, didn’t help his case
- White-ball coach Mike Hesson’s recommendation might have been the final push for this change
Rizwan’s Record as Captain
Rizwan’s captaincy was a removal, but still, he could boast some solid accomplishments. He took the reins in October 2024 and led Pakistan to snatch their first bilateral ODI series against Australia after a gap of 22 years. The team also enjoyed a 3-0 gain victory over South Africa in December 2024.
However, his overall statistics reveal that he was the captain of Pakistan in 20 ODI matches and lost 11 of those matches. The debacle in the Champions Trophy was the turning point, as the team ended up last in Group A.
Here Comes the New Captain
Shaheen Shah Afridi at 25 years old takes over the captaincy. The left-handed fast bowler has already established a remarkable record in ODI cricket since his introduction in 2018. He has been a part of 66 ODI matches and picked up 131 wickets at an average of 24.28.
The fact that he became the quickest Pakistani bowler to take 100 ODI wickets is what makes his bowling more unique, as he took just 51 matches to get there. There are only three other bowlers who have done it quicker in the history of cricket.
However, this is not the first time Shaheen has led Pakistan. In early 2024, he captained the T20I side in a home series against New Zealand. That series was tied at 2-2 when he was subsequently replaced by Babar Azam before the T20 World Cup.
His first task as ODI captain will be at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on November 4, when Pakistan will compete in a three-match series against South Africa.
Cricmatch and Cricket Leadership Changes
Observing teams during leadership transitions can reveal a lot regarding what works and what does not. The cricket administration of Pakistan has so far undergone numerous captaincy changes in all formats since 2023. This continual swapping of positions has put stability and long-term planning in doubt.
Cricket fans who are very much into the game on platforms like cricmatch would see these changes in leadership as simply the unfolding of new and exciting stories. The back-and-forth of different captains reveals how intricate team management can be in international cricket.
The Future Implications
A total of eight captains have been in charge of Pakistan cricket in different formats since the 2023 ODI World Cup. Babar Azam’s resignation in November 2023 initiated the turnover, with Shaheen taking over the T20I captaincy and Shan Masood leading the Test team. By March 2024, Babar was back for the T20 World Cup before resigning again in October 2024.
Currently, Shaheen is entrusted with another opportunity to prove his worth as a captain. The South Africa series coming up will test him as well as the whole team. If Pakistan is to get consistent results on the field, it must have the stability in the leadership that it is looking for.
The cricket lovers will not take their eyes off this transformation that the PCB is looking forward to bring about. The combination of Shaheen’s bowling expertise and youthful vigor gives rise to the expectation that he could very well lead the team through the transition period smoothly.
