Following a 3-0 clean sweep in the ODI series against India, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has resigned from his post, stating it was a personal decision.
Afghanistan cricket team captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has resigned from his post following a crushing 3-0 defeat in the ODI series against India. He has announced his decision to step down from captaincy with immediate effect. Shahidi has been one of Afghanistan's most successful captains.
Hashmatullah Shahidi announced his decision to leave the captaincy through a post on social media. He clarified that this decision is entirely personal.
He stated that captaining the country was the greatest honor for him. However, the 3-0 series loss against India proved to be his final series as captain.
Shahidi was first handed the reins of the Afghanistan team in 2022. Under his leadership, the team delivered several memorable performances and reached new heights.
Hashmatullah Shahidi captained Afghanistan in a total of 55 matches. During this period, he led the team to victory in 27 matches, making him one of Afghanistan's successful captains.
It was under Shahidi's captaincy that Afghanistan performed brilliantly in the ODI World Cup 2023. The team was just one step away from reaching the semi-finals.
In a match against Australia, an incredible double-century innings by Glenn Maxwell snatched not only the match but also the semi-final ticket from Afghanistan.
In that tournament, Afghanistan surprised everyone by defeating major teams like England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand.
The team's performance under Shahidi's captaincy was also impressive in bilateral series. The team succeeded in defeating Bangladesh three times, Zimbabwe twice, and South Africa, Australia, and Ireland once each.
After stepping down from captaincy, Shahidi expressed hope that he would continue to contribute to the team as a player. He said that he will remain a part of the ODI team if selected.
Shahidi has scored 2,607 runs in 94 ODI innings for Afghanistan at an average of 33. He also has 22 half-centuries and one century to his name. Besides, he has played 12 Tests and 6 T20 matches. He made his Test debut against India in Bengaluru in 2018.
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