Kardar, Imran, Wasim, Waqar, Miandad, Afridi, Misbah, Sarfraz, Babar — and now Farhan, Shaheen and Babar again. The complete list of Pakistan cricket team captains, from 1952 to the split-captaincy era of 2026.
Quick answer: Pakistan’s current captains (Oct 2026): Sahibzada Farhan (T20I), Shaheen Shah Afridi (ODI), Babar Azam (Test). Trophy-winning captains: Imran Khan (1992 World Cup), Younis Khan (2009 World T20), Sarfraz Ahmed (2017 Champions Trophy). The first captain was Abdul Hafeez Kardar (1952).
The captains today
- Sahibzada Farhan (T20I) — appointed October 2026 after the Asian Games; the 30-year-old opener’s first full series is vs Sri Lanka.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi (ODI) — in charge since November 2025; previously had a one-series T20I stint in early 2024.
- Babar Azam (Test) — returned July 2026, replacing Shan Masood; his third stint as a Pakistan captain across formats.
The trophy winners
| Captain | Trophy | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Imran Khan | Cricket World Cup | 1992 |
| Younis Khan | World T20 | 2009 |
| Sarfraz Ahmed | Champions Trophy | 2017 |
Other defining leaders: Abdul Hafeez Kardar (the founding father, 1952–58), Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Misbah-ul-Haq (took Tests to No. 1 in 2016), and Shahid Afridi.
The 2023–26 carousel
No team changes captains like Pakistan: Babar resigned (Nov 2023) → Shaheen (T20I) & Shan Masood (Test) → Babar reinstated (Mar 2024) → Babar resigned again (Oct 2024) → Rizwan (white-ball) → Salman Agha (T20I, Mar 2025) → Shaheen (ODI, Nov 2025) → Babar (Test, Jul 2026) → Farhan (T20I, Oct 2026). Seven changes in three years — the context behind every “who is the captain?” search.
See the team hub, the squad and team history.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Pakistan’s Test captain?
Babar Azam — reappointed in July 2026, replacing Shan Masood.
Who won Pakistan the 1992 World Cup?
Imran Khan — Pakistan’s first World Cup-winning captain, at Melbourne on 25 March 1992.
Why does Pakistan change captains so often?
A mix of poor tournament results, PCB regime changes and intense media pressure — the 2023–26 carousel saw seven changes in three years.
, trophy winners Imran/Younis/Sarfraz, and the 2023–26 carousel explained.){kind=link}