Hashmatullah Shahidi has stepped down as Afghanistan’s ODI captain with immediate effect, ending his tenure that began in January 2022. His decision comes after Afghanistan lost the 3-0 ODI series to India last month. Shahidi led the team in 55 matches, winning 27 of those matches, and oversaw one of the most successful innings in Afghanistan’s 50-over history.Confirming his retirement on Instagram, Shahidi thanked everyone who supported him during his time as captain. “After much thought, I have decided to step down as the captain of our team. It was a great privilege to lead this team. I am very grateful to the management, coaches, teammates, and supporters for their faith and support throughout this journey,” he wrote.He made it clear that he will continue to represent Afghanistan as a player, and added, “Even though I am stepping down as captain, I remain committed to serving the team as a player and I wish the new captain and the team continued success.”During Shahidi’s captaincy, Afghanistan reached the pinnacle of ODI Cricket. The team narrowly missed out on making it to the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup with memorable wins against England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. The campaign also saw Afghanistan qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy, where they beat England in a thrilling match and Australia ended their finals hopes.Shahidi also led Afghanistan to victories over Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Ireland. Fittingly, his only ODI century came in his last match as captain, when he scored 102 against India in Chennai. The Afghanistan Cricket Board is expected to announce a new ODI captain ahead of the team’s five-match ODI tour in Ireland next month.
