The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that a new One-day International (ODI) captain will lead the team in the upcoming three-match series against South Africa, starting November 4.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi received a letter from head coach Mike Hesson, urging a joint meeting of the Selection and Advisory Committees to finalise the captain by Monday.
The announcement signals the end of Mohammad Rizwan’s ODI captaincy. Despite leading Pakistan to series wins in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa in 2024, Rizwan faced setbacks in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, exiting in the group stage, and losses in New Zealand and the West Indies. His final ODI stint was an August 2025 defeat to West Indies, their first series win over Pakistan since 1991. Rizwan also lost the T20I captaincy to Salman Ali Agha.
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Speculation points to pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as a likely replacement, as Pakistan prepares for the 2027 World Cup. Afridi previously captained the T20I side after Babar Azam stepped down post-2023 ODI World Cup. Babar returned briefly in 2024 but resigned again after a poor T20 World Cup, leading to Rizwan’s appointment.
The captaincy change reflects PCB’s strategic shift under Naqvi’s leadership, aiming to boost performance. The South Africa series tests Pakistan’s new direction.
