PCB Denies Rumors: Shan Masood and Rizwan to Continue as Captains

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has strongly rejected recent media reports claiming that there are plans to remove Shan Masood as the Test team captain or strip Mohammad Rizwan of the ODI captaincy. According to sources, the board has called such claims completely baseless and misleading.

PCB insiders confirmed that there is no discussion or proposal under consideration regarding Shan Masood’s future as Test captain. Rumors that Saud Shakeel is being lined up as his replacement have also been dismissed. Similarly, the reports about Mohammad Rizwan losing his role as ODI skipper were firmly denied, with the board clarifying that Salman Ali Agha is not in the race for the captaincy.

Officials further stated that the national selection committee has not debated or forwarded any suggestions related to captaincy changes in any format. The PCB also stressed that there has been no modification in the central contract categories of any player, another rumor that had been circulating in recent days.

The clarification came after speculation spread quickly on social media platforms and in some sections of the press, creating uncertainty about Pakistan’s leadership setup ahead of two important upcoming tournaments. The PCB has now put these rumors to rest, confirming that both Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan continue to enjoy the full confidence of the board and selectors.

Upcoming Cricket Schedule

Pakistan is set for a busy cricketing calendar in the coming weeks, starting with the Tri-Nation T20 series in Sharjah, featuring Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The tournament will run from August 29 to September 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan will kick off their campaign against Afghanistan on August 29 at 7:00 PM local time. Each team will face the others twice in the group stage, and the top two teams will qualify for the grand final scheduled on September 7.

After the tri-series, Pakistan’s attention will turn to the highly anticipated ACC Asia Cup 2025, which begins on September 9 in the UAE. The opening game will feature Afghanistan against Hong Kong.

A total of eight teams will battle it out for the prestigious title, divided into two groups. Pakistan has been drawn in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, hosts UAE, and Oman. Group B includes Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong.

Pakistan’s journey in the Asia Cup will begin with a match against Oman on September 12. But the real highlight of the group stage will be the blockbuster clash between Pakistan and India on September 14, which is already generating excitement among fans worldwide. The team will then play its final group-stage match against hosts UAE on September 17. If Pakistan qualifies, they will move into the Super Four stage, followed by the final on September 28.

Tri-Nation Series Schedule (Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Local Time 7:00 PM)

• 29 August – Afghanistan vs Pakistan
• 30 August – UAE vs Pakistan
• 1 September – UAE vs Afghanistan
• 2 September – Pakistan vs Afghanistan
• 4 September – Pakistan vs UAE
• 5 September – Afghanistan vs UAE
• 7 September – Final

ACC Asia Cup T20 2025 (Pakistan Fixtures)

• 12 September – Oman vs Pakistan (DICS, 6:00 PM)
• 14 September – India vs Pakistan (DICS, 6:00 PM)
• 17 September – UAE vs Pakistan (DICS, 6:00 PM)
• 20–26 September – Super Fours (Abu Dhabi & Dubai)
• 28 September – Final (DICS, 6:00 PM)

With the PCB’s confirmation that the leadership roles remain unchanged, Pakistan’s focus will now be entirely on preparations for these crucial tournaments. Fans will be eagerly waiting to see how Shan Masood’s Test leadership and Rizwan’s ODI captaincy guide the team in the coming challenges.

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