3 players who can get Pakistan’s ODI captaincy

Following Babar's departure, these three individuals are top contenders to inherit the leadership role in ODI cricket.

After Pakistan's disappointing World Cup 2023 campaign, Babar Azam faced immense pressure to resign from captaincy, ultimately stepping down across all formats on November 15. Subsequently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Shaheen Afridi as the T20I captain, while Shan Masood assumed the Test captaincy.

While the ODI captaincy position for Pakistan remains vacant, the PCB is not in a rush to make a decision, considering the Men in Green's next one-day match is scheduled for November 2024 in Australia. In the aftermath of Babar's resignation, several names are being considered as potential candidates to assume the ODI captaincy.

1. Mohammad Rizwan:

Mohammad Rizwan emerged as the top run-scorer for Pakistan in the tumultuous 2023 campaign, amassing 395 runs across eight innings in nine matches. His unbeaten 131 off 121 balls during Pakistan's highest World Cup chase against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad showcased his exceptional contribution.

Given Rizwan's outstanding performance, many Pakistani cricket enthusiasts anticipated the PCB to appoint him as the captain for white-ball formats. Over the next 12 months, the team management will closely monitor the 31-year-old's batting consistency, and if he maintains his stellar form, he could be a viable candidate to lead the ODI side.

Rizwan boasts an impressive captaincy track record with Multan Sultans in the PSL. Leading the team since 2021, he guided them to victory in the 2021 edition, accumulating 24 wins and 12 losses in 36 matches under his captaincy.

2. Shaheen Afridi:

Shaheen Afridi, despite facing criticism for his performance in Pakistan's lackluster World Cup campaign where he took 18 wickets in nine matches with an economy of 5.93, has been entrusted with the T20I captaincy. Despite scrutiny, the fast bowler is expected to assert his leadership in the coming months, aiming for success in the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024. Shaheen has demonstrated his captaincy acumen in the PSL, securing two consecutive titles for Lahore Qalandars in 2022 and 2023.

In the league, the 23-year-old boasts an impressive overall captaincy record, with a 70% victory rate, accumulating 17 wins and seven losses in 25 matches. Should Shaheen continue to validate his role as captain in the days ahead, the PCB may not hesitate to appoint him as the leader of the ODI team as well.

3. Fakhar Zaman:

Having been a part of ODI cricket since June 2017, Fakhar Zaman has accumulated 3492 runs, including 11 centuries and 16 fifties, in his six-year career spanning 82 ODIs. The left-handed batsman stands out as the sole Pakistani cricketer to achieve a double hundred in ODI cricket, notably scoring 210 runs against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club.

Given the 33-year-old's significant international experience, the Pakistan team management may consider him for a leadership role. While Fakhar's brief captaincy stint with Lahore Qalandars in the 2019 Pakistan Super League (PSL) saw the team securing only one victory in five games, his impressive batting credentials and wealth of experience could capture the PCB's attention.