Latif Alleges Rizwan Ousted as Captain for Backing Palestine
Rashid Latif has caused controversy by alleging that Mohammad Rizwan was removed as ODI captain for supporting Palestine and promoting Islamic values.
Rizwan, who took charge after Babar Azam stepped down, has been replaced by Shaheen Shah Afridi for the upcoming home series against South Africa.
The left arm pacer will lead the Men in Green in the three match ODI series next month, which will mark the first major assignment of Afridi as captain.
Rashid Latif made his claims before the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially announced Afridi as skipper in a statement that did not mention Mohammad Rizwan.
The PCB statement provided no explanation for the leadership change, leaving fans and analysts speculating about the real reasons behind the sudden decision.
Speaking on a sports channel, Latif questioned the move and said certain officials in the PCB were uncomfortable with Rizwan’s religious and cultural expression.
The former wicket-keeper batter said if a player raises the Palestine flag or promotes his faith, that should not make him unfit to lead the national team.
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Latif further claimed that head coach Mike Hesson played a major role in the decision, seeking to change the team’s existing dressing room culture.
Under the leadership of Rizwan, Pakistan played 20 ODIs, winning 9 games and losing 11, including series victories against Australia and South Africa.
The early elimination of the Green Shirts from the 2025 Champions Trophy reportedly prompted internal reviews and discussions that led to the change in captaincy.
For Afridi, this marks a return to leadership after his brief stint as T20I captain following the 2023 World Cup and subsequent replacement.
His first captaincy tenure ended after the 1–4 defeat in New Zealand, which eventually led to the reinstatement of Babar Azam as T20 captain.
Reports suggest Afridi was reappointed following a meeting between Mike Hesson, Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed, and other members of the selection committee.
