Afghanistan Cricket Board Appoints New Captain and Vice-Captain
On Wednesday, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced that Rahmat Shah has been named the new captain of the national Test and One-Day International (ODI) teams. This change comes after Hashmatullah Shahidi stepped down from his position.
Joining Shah in leadership will be wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who has been appointed as vice-captain for both formats. The new leadership team is set to take charge during Afghanistan’s upcoming ODI series against Ireland.
Shahidi’s resignation marks the conclusion of a successful four-year reign, during which Afghanistan achieved significant milestones in its cricket history. He became captain on May 31, 2021, leading the team to its first ODI series victory over the Netherlands in January 2022. During his time, Afghanistan won 27 out of 55 ODIs.
One of Shahidi’s most memorable moments came during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where Afghanistan stunned the cricketing world by defeating strong teams like England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands, finishing sixth overall—their best performance yet.
Thanks to their success in the World Cup, Afghanistan qualified for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and finished fifth in that tournament, highlighting the team’s impressive growth on the international stage.
Under Shahidi’s captaincy, Afghanistan also achieved their highest ranking, reaching seventh place in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings.
Rahmat Shah steps into the captaincy role after serving as vice-captain since Shahidi’s appointment. He is recognized as one of the most experienced players in the team, having been a crucial part of Afghanistan’s middle order in various formats. As he takes the helm, the team faces a busy season ahead.
Joining him as vice-captain, Gurbaz has established himself as a leading player in white-ball cricket and will play a vital support role as Afghanistan moves forward into this new chapter.
Afghanistan’s first challenge under the new leadership will be a five-match ODI series against Ireland, set to take place from August 5 to August 15.
