By Sanjay Menon — 11 August 2026 — 3 min read Shaheen Shah Afridi, the Pakistan ODI captain, has addressed ongoing speculation regarding his leadership role, stating, “For now, I am the captain.” These comments come amidst reports suggesting a potential return of Babar Azam to a broader captaincy position across formats. Afridi’s appointment as ODI captain occurred in October 2025, replacing Mohammad Rizwan. Despite this, the leadership structure for Pakistan has remained a subject of discussion, with some reports indicating that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) might consider making Babar an all-format captain. However, there has been no official confirmation of such a move. Focus on World Cup Preparations During a press conference with captains of the National Champions Cup teams, Afridi was asked if the PCB had confirmed his continuation as captain through the 2027 World Cup. He reiterated his current status, emphasizing his focus on leading the team. Afridi has shifted his attention to the National Champions Cup, a tournament running from August 11 to 18, featuring Pakistan‘s top domestic players. He believes this competition is crucial for developing the squad depth needed for the upcoming World Cup. “Whenever we go to a World Cup, we face a lot of injuries. In case there are any injuries before the World Cup, we will already have players available. The tournament pool will make it easier for us to find replacements,” Afridi stated. He also highlighted the importance of allowing players to perform in their preferred roles during the tournament. Performances in the National Champions Cup are expected to influence Pakistan‘s World Cup planning, with both form and fitness of players being closely monitored. Afridi noted that all players would aim for strong performances, and both individual and team fitness would be assessed. Captaincy Speculation and Rejections Speculation about Babar Azam reclaiming the white-ball captaincy has been categorically denied by selector Misbah-ul-Haq. He confirmed that there are no such plans in motion and that the topic has not been raised within the Pakistan camp. Misbah-ul-Haq stated, “There has been no discussion on Babar Azam becoming Pakistan’s white-ball captain. These are all rumours.” While Babar Azam’s position as Test captain was restored in July, following the demotion of Shan Masood, this change has not extended to the white-ball formats. Babar led Pakistan to a 1-1 draw in a two-Test series against the West Indies, securing their first away Test win in over three years with an eight-wicket triumph in the second Test. The uncertainty surrounding Pakistan‘s captaincy across different formats persists. The 2026 Asian Games team saw Sahibzada Farhan chosen as captain for the T20I squad, excluding both Babar and Shaheen. However, Farhan’s captaincy was specified only for the upcoming Asian Games, with no further statements regarding his future role as T20I captain. With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, clarity on the leadership roles is expected to become more pressing. Pakistan has a busy schedule leading up to the tournament, including tri-series commitments and a five-match series in England, providing further opportunities for player assessment. The National Champions Cup, which commenced on August 11, features four teams: Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, Pakistan Blues, and Pakistan Gold. These teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with the top two qualifying for the final scheduled for August 18. The trophy unveiling ceremony for the National Champions Cup took place on Monday at the Multan Cricket Stadium, attended by the captains of the participating teams, including Shaheen Shah Afridi for Pakistan Gold, Sahibzada Farhan for Pakistan Blues, Saim Ayub for Pakistan Whites, and Faheem Ashraf, who stood in for Pakistan Greens captain Shadab Khan. Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com Post navigation Kolkata: Sourav Ganguly and wife receive death threats, police launch probe