Rahmat Shah has been appointed as Afghanistan's new Test and ODI captain, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday (July 22). The announcement follows Hashmatullah Shahidi's resignation from the role a day earlier.

Under Shahidi, Afghanistan continued to progress in world cricket that included impressive wins in the 2023 ODI World Cup which in return secured a spot in the Champions Trophy for the very first time in the 2025 edition. However, with the next ODI World Cup scheduled to be held in October-November 2027, Shahidi has opted to step down. "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 endeavors. The Board also wishes Rahmat Shah Zurmati every success in his new role and looks forward to working with him," the ACB said in a statement.

The elevation to captaincy is a natural progression for Shah considering he was the vice-captain since May 2021 when Shahidi was announced captain. He is also Afghanistan's leading run-getter in Tests and ODIs.

Wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has now been named Shah's deputy following the latest development. Afghanistan's first assignment under their new skipper will be the five-match ODI series in Ireland.