It looks like there is no end to the musical chairs being played in the Pakistan camp as the ODI captaincy is once again set to change hands. As per reports, Mohammad Rizwan is all set to be replaced as the skipper for the 50-over format following the side’s disastrous campaign in the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Among the contenders to replace Rizwan as captain include former skipper Babar Azam and T20I captain Salman Ali Agha.
Babar set to don ODI captain’s hat again
As per GeoNews, the Pakistan cricket team selectors have short-listed three candidates to replace Rizwan as ODI skipper. The report states that while Shaheen Afridi was the front-runner to become the new ODI captain, Babar and Agha are also in the fray. The decision to move on from Rizwan is a part of the selectors’ plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Babar has stepped down as Pakistan’s ODI captain twice in the last two years. He first resigned after Pakistan crashed out of the ODI World Cup in 2023. Then, after being handed over the reins of the team again in March 2024, he once again decided to step down in October 2024.
Meanwhile, the report also states that Rizwan could lose his place in Pakistan’s ODI team if he is stripped off captaincy. Under his captaincy, the side failed to win even a single game in CT 2025, having lost to India and New Zealand while their third match was abandoned.
Should Babar be given the ODI captaincy again, the selectors will be hoping that the batter could turn around the fortunes for the team. Azam’s form has also been quite poor over the last two years, with his last century coming against Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023.
