Pakistan cricket in turmoil: Rizwan, Salman Agha reportedly set to lose captaincy as PCB plans major overhaul

The Pakistan cricket team is reportedly set for a major overhaul as Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan could be removed from captaincy positions in the T20Is and ODIs, respectively. A few days after a news report claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board was looking to sack Salman Agha as T20I captain after losing to India thrice in the Asia Cup 2025, PCB released a statement, stating that it is “yet to finalise a captain” for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa.

Pakistan will be playing three T20Is against South Africa from 28 October to 1 November, while the three-match ODI series will be played from 4 to 8 November. The squads for both series are yet to be announced by the PCB.

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Salman to lose Pakistan T20I captaincy after Asia Cup setback?

A report in the news agency PTI states that PCB is mulling to sack Salman Agha as the captain in T20Is in favour of spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan. Pakistan lost all three matches to India in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2025, including the final.

The report states that PCB feels Shadab Khan would bring balance to the Pakistan team and would be the right choice as they look to hit the reset button before the T20 World Cup 2026. Shadab Khan has recently completed his rehabilitation program after a shoulder surgery in England earlier this year.

However, there’s no guarantee that Shadab Khan would captain Pakistan against South Africa. He is most likely to return in the T20I tri-series, which will start on 17 November. The T20I series would include Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe besides the hosts, Pakistan.

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Rizwan set to lose Pakistan ODI captaincy

Meanwhile, PCB on Saturday said that white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has called for a meeting of the selection committee to decide the ODI captaincy, refusing to confirm that Rizwan would continue in the role.

Rizwan was made the ODI captain last year, helping Pakistan clinch series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. However, defeat to New Zealand in a home tri-series final, an early exit from the Champions Trophy 2025 and an away defeat in the West Indies have put his captaincy in danger.