PakistanThe cricket-obsessed nation has seen constant churn in its leadership. One Day International (ODI) Throughout its history the team has reflected the challenging pursuit of stability and continued success on the global stage. Captaincy is one of the most pressure-filled roles in world cricket, and for Pakistan, it is often a hot seat that demands flexibility, tactical acumen and the ability to unify a famously fickle team. This constant rotation underlines the extreme scrutiny placed on captain’s performances and results, especially in the lead-up to major tournaments.
Shaheen Afridi appointed ODI captain
In the latest of many recent changes, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Left arm star fast bowler appointed shaheen shah New ODI captain will replace Afridi Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad RizwanShaheen’s appointment, announced in October 2025, follows a period of mixed results under Rizwan.
Rizwan, who took over in October 2024, captained the team in 20 ODIs, winning 9 and suffering 11 losses, which equates to a 45.00% win percentage. Afridi’s first assignment will be a three-match ODI series South Africa In November 2025. The decision marks a renewed effort for a new direction, with the young, aggressive fast bowler now tasked with leading the team’s white-ball strategy.
Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy: domestic success and international challenges
Shaheen Shah Afridi has established himself as a successful leader in franchise cricket, with his domestic captaincy experience primarily focused on Pakistan Super League (PSL)Upon being appointed as the captain of Lahore Qalandars, he achieved notable success by leading the team to three PSL titles in 2022, 2023 and 2025, becoming the first captain to win three championships in the history of the tournament. This success in the domestic T20 league cemented his reputation as a capable leader, with his aggressive approach and performances with ball and bat playing a vital role in the team’s victory.
On the international stage, Afridi has had a more volatile captaincy experience, having led Pakistan’s T20I team for a brief period. However after this he was appointed T20I captain one day world cup 2023He was relieved of the role in early 2024 following the 4–1 defeat in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board recently appointed him as the new ODI captain replacing Rizwan, indicating continued confidence in his leadership abilities within the national setup for the 50-over format.
| , | player | Span (from first to last match) | matchbox (m) | won (w) | lost (l) | Tied (T) | No Result (NR) | win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intikhab Alam | 1973-1974 | 32 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 |
| 2 | Majid Khan | 1975-1975 | 21 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| 3 | Asif Iqbal | 1975-1979 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| 4 | mushtaq mohammed | 1976-1978 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| 5 | Wasim Bari | 1977-1978 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| 6 | Javed Miandad | 1980-1993 | 62 | 23 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 41.93 |
| 7 | Zaheer Abbas | 1982-1984 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 38.46 |
| 8 | imran khan | 1982-1992 | 39 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 53.95 |
| 9 | Sarfaraz Nawaz | 1984-1984 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 10 | Abdul Qadir | 1987-1988 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| 11 | Salim Malik | 1992-1995 | 42 | 21 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 61.76 |
| 12 | Rameez Raja | 1992-1997 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 31.11 |
| 13 | wasim akram | 1993-2000 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 60.55 |
| 14 | Waqar Younis | 1993-2003 | 37 | 23 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 62.16 |
| 15 | moeen khan | 1995-2001 | 34 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 58.82 |
| 16 | Saeed Anwar | 1995-2000 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 45.45 |
| 17 | Aamer Sohail | 1996-1998 | 29 | 10 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 34.48 |
| 18 | Rashid Latif | 1998-2003 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 52.00 |
| 19 | inzamam-ul-haq | 2002-2007 | 75 | 33 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 44.62 |
| 20 | Mohammad Yusuf | 2003-2010 | 26 | 8 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| 21 | younis khan | 2005-2009 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 38.09 |
| 22 | Abdul Razzaq | 2006-2006 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 23 | -Shoaib Malik | 2007–2019 | 41 | 16 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 60.97 |
| 24 | Misbah-ul-Haq | 2008–2015 | 74 | 39 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 51.72 |
| 25 | shahid afridi | 2009–2014 | 38 | 18 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 50.00 |
| 26 | Azhar Ali | 2015–2017 | 31 | 14 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 38.70 |
| 27 | Sarfaraz Ahmed | 2015–2019 | 50 | 29 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 56.00 |
| 28 | Mohammad Hafeez | 2017–2017 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| 29 | Imad Wasim | 2019–2019 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 30 | Babar Azam | 2020–2024 | 36 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 41.66 |
| 31 | Mohammad Rizwan | 2024–2025 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| 32 | Shaheen Shah Afridi | 2025-present | , | , | , | , | , | , |
See also: Fan breaks security and enters Pakistan dressing room, leaving Babar Azam stunned on his birthday
