Credit: ICC
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has censured PCB’s decision to remove Mohammad Rizwan from ODI captaincy. On October 20, PCB announced that pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will be leading Pakistan’s ODI team. Rizwan, who became Pakistan’s ODI skipper in October 2024, struggled as skipper this year. Under his leadership, the Men in Green lost the tri-series involving New Zealand and South Africa, Champions Trophy 2025, and the three-match series in the West Indies. However, Amir feels PCB should’ve been patient with Rizwan to get the desired results.
“I don’t think Mohammad Rizwan has been treated fairly. Rizwan was not a bad one-day captain. He led Pakistan to series wins in South Africa and Australia — something even some of our biggest captains couldn’t achieve. We should not have forgotten that. Captaincy should not depend on just one good or bad series. We don’t allow stability in our cricket. Captains are not made overnight; it takes two to three years to build one. But here, one bad series is enough to replace a captain. I don’t think this is the right call,” remarked Amir while speaking to Geo Super.
Mohammad Amir expected structured leadership reform for Pakistan’s benefit
Mohammad Amir feels a structured transition could’ve helped Pakistan and Shaheen. “If Shaheen had to be made captain, he could have first been appointed as vice-captain and his performance judged accordingly, especially considering his fitness,” added Amir.
Shaheen has led Pakistan’s in the past but in the shortest form of the sport. Leading the Green Army in the five-match T20I series played in New Zealand, he registered a humiliating 1-4 defeat as skipper. Following this debacle, he lost his captaincy to Babar Azam, who led Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024.
