Shaheen Afridi Outrightly Rejects Babar Azam's ODI Captaincy Return

Shaheen Afridi breaks silence on ODI captaincy [Source: AFP]Pakistan are already preparing for the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2027, and with the mega tournament now less than a year away, the focus has started shifting towards the team’s leadership. In particular, there has been growing speculation about who will lead Pakistan in the 50-over format.Amid the ongoing rumours that Babar Azam could return as Pakistan’s ODI captain, Shaheen Afridi has finally broken his silence on the matter.Will Babar Azam return as Pakistan's ODI captain? Shaheen answersPakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi responded to the rumours surrounding Babar Azam’s possible return as ODI captain. Speaking on the eve of the National Champions Cup 2026, Afridi was asked whether white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and selector Aaqib Javed still backed him as the ODI captain. Instead of giving a lengthy answer, Shaheen gave a wry smile and simply said, “Till now I am the captain.”It is important to note that Pakistan cricket is known for making sudden and frequent leadership changes.In recent years, the team has gone through several captaincy changes across formats. Therefore, Shaheen Afridi’s choice of words, “till now,” has also caught attention. The statement could suggest that, although he remains the ODI captain at present, another sudden change in leadership cannot be completely ruled out.Why Is Babar Azam’s Name Being Discussed?The rumours started after a report by Telecom Asia Sport claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board had promised Babar Azam the captaincy across all three formats. According to the report, Babar accepted the Test captaincy on the condition that he would eventually be given leadership of the white-ball teams as well.Also Read: Babar Azam Goes Past Waqar Younis' Record For Most Player Of The Series Awards For PakistanTwo selectors reportedly met Babar before his appointment as Test captain on July 5. The report claimed that Babar accepted the red-ball leadership role after being assured that he could become the all-format captain if he produced strong results.The report further stated that Babar’s performances in the two Tests against the West Indies and the upcoming three-Test series against England could influence the PCB’s decision.However, there has been no official confirmation from the PCB regarding any agreement to make Babar the all-format captain.How Has Shaheen Afridi Fared As ODI Captain?Shaheen Afridi was appointed Pakistan’s ODI captain on October 20, 2025, replacing Mohammad Rizwan. Since then, he has led Pakistan in 11 ODIs.Under his leadership, Pakistan have won seven matches and lost four, giving him a strong winning percentage of 63.63.Although Pakistan suffered an ODI series defeat against Bangladesh earlier this year, they bounced back by defeating a second-string Australian side in the ODI series.Therefore, Shaheen has a decent record as Pakistan’s ODI captain, which could strengthen his case to continue in the role.Babar Azam Still Has Strong Captaincy ExperienceAt the same time, Babar Azam has considerable experience as Pakistan’s captain. Notably, he has led Pakistan in 43 ODIs, winning 26 and losing 16 matches.In T20Is, Babar has captained Pakistan in 85 matches, recording 48 wins and 38 defeats. However, his recent Test leadership has also come under scrutiny.Pakistan’s recent Test series against West Indies ended 1-1. As a result, the upcoming England series could become an important test for Babar.Also Read: Steve Smith, Travis Head Nearly Injure Bangladesh Players With Wayward Golfing