Shaheen Afridi has replaced Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan's ODI skipper.
In what comes as a shocking move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has removed Mohammad Rizwan as the ODI captain, appointing fast bowler Shaheen Afridi as his replacement.
The move comes less than a year after Rizwan was handed the leadership reins following Babar Azam’s resignation from the post in October 2024.
The decision to sack Rizwan has raised eyebrows as he led the Pakistan team to away series wins over Australia and South Africa. What makes it even more surprising is that Shaheen himself was fired as T20I skipper after one-series stint last year.
Amid the latest development, former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has claimed that coach Mike Hesson played a decisive role in Rizwan’s ouster.
In a video doing rounds on social media, Latif suggested that Rizwan’s open support for Palestine during the Gaza-Israel conflict may have influenced the decision.
“Just because he picked up the Palestine flag, you would sack him as captain? This mindset has come that a non-Islamic captain should come in an Islamic country,” Latif alleged.
“Mike Hesson is the one behind this decision, right? He isn't someone who likes this culture in the dressing room. He would want to finish such a culture in the dressing room,” he added.
The decision to appoint Shaheen Afridi captain was finalised in a meeting in Islamabad, attended by white-ball coach Mike Hesson, High Performance Director Aqib Javed, and members of the national selection committee.
Shaheen, 24, will make his ODI captaincy debut in the upcoming three-match series against South Africa, starting November 4 in Faisalabad.