Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has openly criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to name Shaheen Shah Afridi as the new captain of the national ODI team, replacing Mohammad Rizwan. Amir believes the timing and reasoning behind this change are unfair and could negatively affect team stability.
Amir Calls the Decision “Unfair to Rizwan”
In a recent video message shared on social media, Mohammad Amir said that making a leadership change at this stage is not a wise move. According to him, Rizwan was not given a fair chance to prove himself as a long-term leader.
“Rizwan wasn’t a bad ODI captain. He led Pakistan to series wins in South Africa and Australia—something even our great captains couldn’t achieve,” Amir stated.
The former pacer added that leadership is not something that develops overnight. “A captain takes two to three years to settle and understand his team. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, a single bad series often leads to immediate changes, which is not the right approach,” he explained.
Also Read:
Rashid Latif Says Rizwan Lost Captaincy Over Palestine Support
Amir Praises Rizwan’s Leadership Qualities
Amir went on to praise Mohammad Rizwan’s intelligence, calmness, and decision-making ability on the field. He described Rizwan as a “smart captain” with natural leadership instincts and said that he deserved more time to grow in the role.
He further suggested that if PCB was determined to hand over the captaincy to Shaheen, they should have first appointed him as vice-captain. This, Amir argued, would have given the board an opportunity to assess Shaheen’s leadership skills and readiness for the top job.
Shaheen’s First ODI Assignment Against South Africa
Shaheen Afridi will now face his first major test as ODI captain in the upcoming three-match home series against South Africa, scheduled to be played at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, from November 4 to 8, 2025.
This series will be crucial not only for Pakistan’s World Cup preparations but also for Shaheen’s credibility as a leader, especially after his previous experience as T20I captain.
Shaheen’s Previous Captaincy Experience
Shaheen had earlier captained Pakistan in the T20 series against New Zealand in January 2024, but the campaign ended in disappointment with a 4-1 series loss. Following that defeat, the PCB replaced him with Babar Azam as T20 captain.
Now, with his return to leadership in the 50-over format, many fans and analysts are curious to see if the left-arm pacer can deliver under pressure.
Rizwan’s Record as ODI Captain
Mohammad Rizwan’s record as ODI captain stands at 20 matches, with 9 wins and 11 losses, giving him a win percentage of 45%. He was appointed as the ODI and T20I captain in October 2024, but after losing four straight T20 matches, he was removed from the role. The PCB then handed the T20 captaincy to Salman Ali Agha earlier this year.
Final Thoughts
Amir’s comments have once again sparked debate among fans and analysts about Pakistan’s frequent leadership changes. Many agree that instability in captaincy has often hurt team consistency and morale.
As Shaheen Afridi takes over, all eyes will be on how he manages the dressing room, balances his fast-bowling responsibilities, and builds team chemistry in what could be one of the most challenging phases of his career.
