Shaheen Shah Afridi takes charge as Pakistan’s new ODI captain

Islamabad, 21 October 2025:

Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s fiery left-arm fast bowler, will take on a new challenge as captain of the national one-day side. The Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday announced his appointment ahead of next month’s home ODI series against South Africa.

The three-match series, set for November 4-8 at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium, will mark Shaheen’s first stint as full-time ODI captain. His selection was finalised during a meeting in Islamabad attended by head coach Mike Hesson, Director High Performance Aqib Javed and members of the selection committee.

At 25, Shaheen has already established himself as one of Pakistan’s most reliable match-winners. Since making his international debut in 2018, he has taken 249 wickets across 66 ODIs and 92 T20Is. In Tests, he has claimed 120 wickets in 32 matches.

This won’t be Shaheen’s first experience leading the national side. In 2024, he captained Pakistan in five T20Is during their tour of New Zealand.

For Pakistan, the move signals a continuation of investing in young leadership and for Shaheen, it’s another opportunity to extend his growing influence beyond the new-ball spell.