The decision came after a meeting in Islamabad involving white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director of High Performance Aqib Javed, and members of the national selection committee.
However, no reason was provided for replacing Rizwan; indeed, the wicketkeeper batter was not even mentioned in the official statement.
Afridi’s first assignment as skipper will be the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting on 4 November.
At 25, the left-arm pacer already has an impressive track record in the format. Since his debut in 2018, he has played 66 ODIs and taken 131 wickets at an average of 24.28, firmly establishing himself as Pakistan’s leading fast bowler.
Shaheen previously captained Pakistan in early 2024, when he led the T20I side in a five-match home series against New Zealand that ended 2–2.
