The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has stirred controversy by removing Mohammad Rizwan from his position as ODI captain, replacing him with Shaheen Shah Afridi. While the PCB has not released an official statement detailing the reasons behind the decision, reports suggest that Rizwan's refusal to endorse betting companies played a significant role.
According to TimesofIndia.com, a PCB source revealed that Rizwan had informed the board of his unwillingness to promote betting companies, a stance that clashed with the PCB's collaborations with surrogate betting firms. This is not the first instance of Rizwan's objection to such endorsements. Earlier this year, while playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, he refused to wear a jersey displaying the logo of a betting company, opting instead for a modified jersey without the sponsor's branding.
The situation has ignited discussions about ethics and faith in sports sponsorships, especially in Pakistan, where gambling is illegal and considered against Islamic principles.
Adding another layer to the controversy, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has suggested that Rizwan's vocal support for Palestine might have also contributed to his removal. Latif questioned whether expressing solidarity with Palestine was grounds for dismissal and criticized what he described as a mindset against having Islamic captains in an Islamic country. "If he has spoken about Palestine, will you remove him from captaincy? This mindset that there would be non-Islamic captains in an Islamic country is abysmal,” Latif stated on his YouTube channel.
Adding to the speculation, some reports indicate that certain PCB officials and players were uncomfortable with Rizwan's increasing inclination to bring religion into dressing room discussions. Out-of-favor Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad had also publicly criticized Rizwan for allegedly using religion to justify poor team performances.
Despite the controversy, Rizwan's performance as captain has been noteworthy. He captained Pakistan in 20 matches, securing nine wins and scoring 625 runs at an average of 41.66.
Shaheen Afridi is now set to lead Pakistan in the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, scheduled to be held in Faisalabad from November 4 to 8. Afridi's appointment was finalized after a meeting in Islamabad with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director High Performance Aqib Javed, and members of the selection committee. It is worth noting that Afridi was previously removed as T20I captain after just one series.
