Pakistan, a nation passionate about cricket, has seen a constant churn of leadership in its One Day International (ODI) team throughout its history, reflecting a challenging quest for stability and consistent success on the global stage. The captaincy is one of the most high-pressure roles in world cricket, and for Pakistan, it is often a hot seat that demands resilience, tactical acumen, and the ability to unify a famously mercurial team. This frequent rotation underlines the immense scrutiny placed on the skipper’s performance and results, particularly in the lead-up to major tournaments.
Shaheen Afridi appointed ODI captain
In the latest of several recent changes, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed star left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new ODI captain, replacing wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan. Shaheen’s appointment, announced in October 2025, follows a period of mixed results under Rizwan.
Rizwan, who took over in October 2024, captained the side in 20 ODIs, securing 9 wins and suffering 11 losses, equating to a 45.00% win percentage. Afridi’s first assignment is set to be the three-match ODI series against South Africa in November 2025. This decision marks a renewed push for a fresh direction, with the young, aggressive pacer 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 centering on the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Appointed as the captain of Lahore Qalandars, he achieved remarkable success by leading the team to three PSL titles in 2022, 2023, and 2025, becoming the first captain in the tournament’s history to win three championships. This success in the domestic T20 league cemented his reputation as a capable leader, with his aggressive approach and performances with the ball and bat being key to the team’s triumphs.
On the international stage, Afridi’s captaincy experience has been more volatile, having briefly led Pakistan’s T20I side. Although he was appointed T20I captain after the ODI World Cup 2023, he was relieved of the role after a 4-1 series defeat in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand in early 2024. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board recently appointed him as the new ODI captain, replacing Rizwan, indicating a continued belief in his leadership potential within the national setup for the 50-over format.
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| # | Player | Span (First to Last Match) | Matches (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 Mohammad | 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 | Sarfraz Nawaz | 1984–1984 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 10 | Abdul Qadir | 1987–1988 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| 11 | Saleem Malik | 1992–1995 | 42 | 21 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 61.76 |
| 12 | Ramiz 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 | Moin 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 Yousuf | 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 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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