KABUL: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Wednesday appointed experienced middle-order batsman Rahmat Shah as the ODI and Test captain of its men’s cricket team.
Rahmat, who has represented Atalan in 12 Tests and 128 ODIs so far, stepped down from the post with immediate effect on Tuesday, replacing top-order batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi, ending a four-and-a-half-year tenure.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz will replace the 33-year-old in a leadership role, while his first assignment as Afghanistan’s long-form captain is the three-match ODI series against Ireland, scheduled to be played from August 5-10.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has appointed experienced middle-order batsman Rahmat Shah Surmati as Afghanistan’s new Test and ODI captain, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz as its vice-captain, the Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a statement.
The ACB recognized Shahidi’s “valuable service” as captain of its national team, which saw several milestone victories during his tenure.
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board appreciates Hashmatullah Shahidi’s valuable service, dedication and leadership during his tenure as captain and wishes him continued success in his future endeavours.”
The 31-year-old led Afghanistan in 55 ODIs from January 2022 to the most recent stint against India in June 2026.
As captain, Shahidi led Afghanistan to the 2023 Asia Cup, 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
One of the highlights of his leadership was the 2023 World Cup where Afghanistan recorded memorable victories against England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. The team missed out on a place in the semi-finals after finishing sixth in the points table.
The cricket board wished newly appointed captain Rahmat “ever success” in his new role as it reiterated its commitment to partnering with the 33-year-old to achieve the team’s objectives and bring more victories to Afghanistan.
“The Board wishes Rahmat Shah Surmati every success in his new role and looks forward to working with him to achieve the team’s objectives, achieve the team’s goals and bring more success to Afghanistan.”