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