The Afghanistan Cricket Board named Rahmat Shah as the country’s new Test and ODI captain on Wednesday, a day after Hashmatullah Shahidi stepped down from the role. Rahmanullah Gurbaz will serve as his deputy across both formats. Rahmat takes charge at a moment when Afghanistan’s leadership structure has shifted across all three formats since Richard Pybus took over as head coach earlier this year.
Shahidi led Afghanistan in 55 ODIs between January 2022 and June 2026, a run that included the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2023 Asia Cup. His side beat England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands during that World Cup campaign and came close to reaching the semi-final.
Afghanistan finished sixth in the tournament, a result that earned them their first appearance at the Champions Trophy in 2025, where they beat England again before a washout against Australia ended their semi-final hopes. Under his captaincy, the team also recorded bilateral series wins over Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Ireland. The board thanked Shahidi for his service and said it looks forward to working with Rahmat in his new role.
Rahmat’s Rise to the Captaincy
Rahmat, 33, has represented Afghanistan in 12 Tests and 128 ODIs since debuting in 2018. He is the country’s leading run-scorer in ODIs, with 4121 runs at an average of 35.22, and he holds the same distinction in Test cricket.
He had served as vice-captain in Tests and ODIs since 2021, a tenure that made his promotion a natural next step rather than a surprise. Coaches have praised him for his technical soundness and his ability to absorb pressure through the middle overs.
Neither Rahmat nor Gurbaz, 24, has previously captained Afghanistan at the international level, which means both will be learning the demands of leadership together at the top of the batting order.
Shahidi’s Numbers as Captain
Shahidi’s batting figures did not change dramatically once he took on the captaincy. Without the armband, he averaged 32.97 at a strike rate of 64.39. As captain, those numbers rose slightly to 33.79 and 70.77. His only ODI century in 96 matches came in his final assignment as captain, an innings of 102 off 131 balls against India in Chennai.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board did not cite personal form as a reason for the change, and its statement focused instead on wishing Shahidi success in his future endeavours while backing Rahmat to build on the team’s recent progress.
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What Comes Next for Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s leadership transition is now complete across formats. Ibrahim Zadran replaced Rashid Khan as T20I captain in March, and Rahmat’s appointment fills the remaining gap in Tests and ODIs.
The team’s first assignment under its new captain comes in August, when Afghanistan travel to Ireland for a five-match ODI series. That tour will offer an early look at how Rahmat manages a young batting group and how Gurbaz settles into his role as deputy.
With the next ODI World Cup set for October and November 2027, the board’s decision signals a longer-term plan built around Rahmat’s experience and his standing as the side’s most consistent run-scorer across formats.
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