Hashmatullah Shahidi has resigned as Afghanistan ODI captain with immediate effect, ending his leadership tenure that began in January 2022. His decision comes after Afghanistan lost the ODI series 0-3 to India last month. Shahidi captained 55 matches, winning 27 of them, and oversaw one of the most successful periods in Afghanistan’s 50-over history.Shahidi confirmed his resignation on Instagram and thanked everyone who had supported him during his tenure as captain. He wrote: “After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as captain. It has been an honor to lead this team. I sincerely thank the management, coaches, teammates and supporters for their trust and support throughout this journey.”He also made it clear that he will continue to represent Afghanistan as a player, adding: “While I am resigning as captain, I remain fully committed to serving the team as a player and wish the new captain and team continued success.”During Shahidi’s captaincy, Afghanistan reached new heights in ODI cricket. The team narrowly missed out on a berth in the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup after beating England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. That match also earned Afghanistan a place in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where they defeated England but suffered a heavy defeat against Australia, ending their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.Shahidi also led Afghanistan in ODI series wins over Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Ireland. Fittingly, his only ODI century came in his last game as captain, when he scored 102 against India in Chennai. The Afghanistan Cricket Board is expected to announce the new ODI captain ahead of the five-match ODI series in Ireland next month.
