KABUL: Afghanistan all-rounder Hashmatullah Shahidi has stepped down with immediate effect, ending his four-and-a-half-year tenure as Afghanistan’s one-day international (ODI) captain.
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 result qualified Afghanistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai, where they secured another remarkable win over England. However, their crucial match against Australia was abandoned due to rain and they could not progress to the semi-finals.
Afghanistan also won bilateral ODI series under Shahidi, registering wins three times against Bangladesh, twice against Zimbabwe and once each against South Africa and Ireland.
Despite his achievements as captain, Shahidi’s batting statistics remained largely consistent throughout his career. Although not leading the team, he averaged 32.97 with a strike rate of 64.39. As captain, those figures improved marginally to an average of 33.79 and a strike rate of 70.77.
His only ODI century came in Afghanistan’s most recent 50-over international against India in Chennai, where he scored 102 off 131 balls.
Scheduled to return to ODI action in August when Afghanistan tour Ireland for a five-match series, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is expected to announce Shahidi’s successor before the tour.