Mohammad Rizwan or Shaheen Afridi, who could lead Pakistan next if Babar Azam is sacked as ODI captain?

Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, is anticipated to be removed from his leadership role following a disastrous ICC World Cup 2023 campaign so far. The team has suffered three consecutive defeats, including a recent loss to Afghanistan on October 23, sparking discontent among former cricketers and Pakistani fans.

Azam has faced severe criticism for the team's humiliating loss to Afghanistan, having been granted autonomy by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to handpick his own squad for the World Cup. Disregarding the recommendations of former cricketers Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq, Azam retained the 18-man squad, leading to disappointment after an underwhelming Asia Cup performance.

Amidst a lackluster display in India, the Pakistan team has struggled in all three cricketing domains: batting, bowling, and fielding. Speculations suggest that the PCB might initiate a change in captaincy upon the team's return from the World Cup in India.

Potential candidates for captaincy

• It is expected that the next captain could be either Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, or Sarfaraz Ahmed.
• Mohammad Rizwan stands a good chance for the role, given his tenure with the team since 2015 and his in-depth understanding of the game.
• He has maintained consistent batting form, currently leading the Pakistani batting line-up in the World Cup with 294 runs in five matches at an impressive average of 98.
• While Shaheen Afridi, an experienced player, is being considered for the position, Pakistan has not had a pace-bowling captain in the last two decades, following the era of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
• Considering Afridi's susceptibility to injuries, the PCB might be hesitant to appoint him as the captain in Tests or the 50-over format.
• Instead, the board could consider a format-specific captaincy strategy, with Sarfaraz leading in Tests, Rizwan in ODIs, and Shaheen taking charge in T20I cricket.
• Furthermore, Sarfaraz Ahmed, a former captain, is not expected to be reinstated as the skipper of the Pakistani team.

Possibility of Babar Azam retaining captaincy

• The prospects of Babar Azam retaining his captaincy appear minimal.
• Even if Pakistan had defeated Afghanistan, the likelihood of a leadership change remained high, considering the team's poor performances in two ICC tournaments, namely the Asia Cup and the ongoing World Cup.
• Pakistan's lackluster display against India on October 14, 2023, served as a tipping point in their World Cup campaign, with the team succumbing to their arch-rivals.
• According to a source speaking to PTI, only a significant turnaround in the World Cup, resulting in Pakistan qualifying for the semi-finals, could potentially salvage Azam's captaincy, albeit possibly restricted to the red ball format.
• With four games remaining against South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, Pakistan currently holds the fifth position with four points and a net run rate of -0.400.
• India, South Africa, and New Zealand are the frontrunners for the semi-finals, leaving Pakistan to contend for the fourth spot against Australia and Afghanistan.

Pakistan is scheduled to face South Africa on October 27 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.