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Mohammad Rizwan sacked as Pakistan captain because he refused to promote betting companies: ‘He informed PCB…’ - Report
Mohammad Rizwan was removed as captain of Pakistan's ODI team, replaced by Shaheen Afridi, reportedly due to his refusal to endorse betting companies.
In a move that has sparked widespread debate within cricketing and political circles, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced Mohammad Rizwan's removal as captain of the national ODI team. He will be replaced by left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi ahead of the upcoming home series against South Africa.
While the PCB has not issued an official explanation for the sudden change, TimesofIndia.com has reported that Rizwan’s principled stand against promoting betting companies is at the heart of the decision.
"Rizwan had informed the PCB that he wouldn’t endorse betting companies, which is the main reason behind his sacking. He was against the PCB’s collaboration with surrogate betting firms," a PCB source was quoted as saying in the report.
This is not the first time Rizwan has taken such a stance. Earlier this year, during his stint in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, the wicketkeeper-batter refused to wear a jersey featuring the logo of a betting company that was the team's main sponsor. Rizwan instead played in a modified jersey without the sponsor’s branding — a decision that drew both admiration and controversy.
The situation has reignited a long-standing debate over the role of ethics and faith in sports sponsorships, particularly in countries like Pakistan, where gambling is illegal and widely seen as contrary to Islamic principles.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif added fuel to the speculation by suggesting that Rizwan's vocal support for Palestine might also have contributed to his removal.
“If he has spoken about Palestine, will you remove him from captaincy? This mindset that there would be non-Islamic captains in an Islamic country is abysmal,” Latif said on his YouTube channel Caught Behind.
Rizwan's removal is the latest chapter in Pakistan cricket’s ongoing captaincy carousel, with no fewer than seven leadership changes across formats since March 2023 under three different PCB administrations. His appointment as white-ball captain in October 2024 came after Babar Azam’s resignation, and his tenure lasted less than a year.
Now, Shaheen Afridi returns to lead the ODI side, having previously served brief stints as white-ball captain in 2023 and 2024. He will head the team for the three-match ODI series against South Africa from November 4 to 8 in Faisalabad.
Given the sensitive nature of the reasons being reported, the decision is likely to draw scrutiny not just from cricketing stakeholders but also from religious and political communities in Pakistan.
