The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed it “is yet to finalise a captain” for next month’s one-day series against South Africa, leaving Mohammad Rizwan’s position hanging in the balance. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson has asked the national selection committee to meet on Monday to settle the issue.
Rizwan, appointed last year, has overseen series wins in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, yet 2025 has been bumpier: defeat in a home tri-series final to New Zealand, group-stage exit at the Champions Trophy and a 2-1 loss in the West Indies. The board’s statement did not criticise his form. He sits second on Pakistan’s ODI run-scoring list this year – 361 runs at 36.10 – and made a composed 75 in the opening Test against South Africa last week.
Despite that, the wording felt ominous, especially after Shaheen Shah Afridi was removed as T20 captain earlier in the year. Back then, new PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi refused to guarantee Afridi’s tenure, telling reporters: “Even I don’t know who the captain will be. Whether Shaheen continues or a new captain comes in will be determined after the fitness camp.” Days later Babar Azam was re-installed and a disputed press release in Afridi’s name added to the friction.
The current scenario is less public, yet similar themes remain. Hesson is not formally on the selection panel, but his request for a meeting shows either how much sway he now holds or how ready the board already was for change. A decision is promised once Monday’s discussions conclude.
Analysts inside Pakistan cricket believe the issue is less about statistics and more about strategy. Rizwan’s measured approach suits slower surfaces, but Pakistan’s batting has looked timid when chasing large totals, notably during this year’s Champions Trophy. One selector, speaking off the record, noted that “the middle overs have gone flat far too often”.
Possible alternatives include Babar, Afridi and the in-form Shan Masood. Each brings contrasting strengths: Babar’s experience, Afridi’s on-field spark and Masood’s tactical nous. Yet frequent shifts have caused instability before, and senior voices are urging calm. A former captain told local television, “We keep talking about long-term plans, yet every five months we start again.”
Rizwan himself has kept silent publicly, concentrating on the remaining Tests. Those close to him say he is “disappointed but unfazed”, pointing to the way he regained the wicketkeeping gloves in Tests after a brief spell out of the side.
Whatever the verdict, Pakistan need clarity quickly. The South Africa ODIs start in three weeks, and preparation camps – fitness tests, tactical briefings and match-scenario drills – are already pencilled in. For the players, knowing who leads matters almost as much as the drills themselves.
Monday’s meeting should end the uncertainty. Whether Rizwan stays, or another captain steps in, the board’s next move will shape Pakistan’s World Cup build-up as much as any net session.
