Best Pakistan Cricket Team Captains of All Time

The cricketer, who was later also a politician and diplomat, led Pakistan in their first 23 Test matches from 1952 to 1958. Pakistan played their first-ever Test in October 1952, when the team toured India for a five-match series, ultimately losing 2–1. Over the years, many cricketers have taken on the captaincy of the Pakistan Cricket Team across various formats. Among them, Imran Khan is widely regarded as the most accomplished leader.

Methodology 

We analyzed the most successful cricket captains using reliable sources like ESPNcricinfo and Sportingnews. These platforms provided important data, such as the number of matches captained and the win percentage.

To rank the captains, we developed the SportsBoom MetaScale, a scoring system that gives equal importance to two key factors:

• Matches Captained (50%): This measures the captain's experience and their long-term trust from the team and management.
• Win Percentage (50%): This shows how effectively the captain led the team to consistent victories.

By balancing these factors, we ensured the rankings reflect both experience and success across all formats of the game.

When it comes to Pakistan's most successful cricket captain, the general consensus is no surprise: Imran Khan. Known as a visionary leader, Imran transformed Pakistan's cricket landscape. His crowning achievement was leading Pakistan to their first-ever World Cup victory in 1992. But Imran's greatness wasn’t just about winning trophies—it was about inspiring a nation. 

Following Imran Khan, Babar Azam and Wasim Akram—are often regarded as Pakistan’s next most successful captains according to web critics. Babar, with a win percentage of 58.08%, and Wasim Akram, with a slightly better win percentage of 58.20%, rank second and third. 

How we Ranked Most Successful Captains for Pakistan? SportsBoom Approach

To rank Pakistan's most successful cricket captains, we used a scoring system that considered two key aspects: the number of matches captained and their win percentage. Matches captained accounted for 50% of the score, as it highlights the captain’s experience and the trust placed in them by the team and management. The other 50% came from their win percentage, which reflects their ability to lead the team to consistent victories. By giving equal importance to both factors, we ensured the rankings fairly represented a captain’s experience and success across all formats of the game.

Imran Khan 

Imran Khan is widely regarded as the greatest-ever captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team. He first took over the captaincy from Javed Miandad in 1982, at the age of 30, and took little to no time in establishing himself as the next big thing in Pakistan cricket. He may not have won the most matches as Pakistan captain, but Khan revolutionized cricket in the country. 

In his very first year as captain, Khan led Pakistan to a historic Test win at Lord's, their first on English soil in 28 years. This was followed by a dominant home season that same year, where Pakistan registered a 3-0 series win against both Australia and India in Tests. More historical wins followed five years later in 1987 when Khan led Pakistan to their first-ever Test series victories in India and England. 

That same year, Pakistan were unable to make the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup, following which Khan announced his retirement. But he was persuaded to return by General Zia-Ul-Haq in 1988, resuming his captaincy. 

His finest hour as captain came in 1992 when he led Pakistan to their only World Cup victory after defeating England in the final. 

To sum it up, Khan's captaincy tenure spanned across different periods: 1982-84, 1986-87, and 1988-92. He led Pakistan in 48 Test matches, winning 14, losing eight, and drawing 26. In ODIs, he captained the side in 139 matches, winning 75 wins and losing 59.

Babar Azam 

Babar Azam’s captaincy journey was a mix of highs and lows. With 84 wins across formats, he stands as the second-most successful captain in Pakistan's cricket history, just behind the legendary Imran Khan. Babar took charge during a transitional period for Pakistan cricket, replacing Azhar Ali after Sarfaraz Ahmed’s tenure ended following the 2019 home series defeat to Sri Lanka. 

Pakistan did not win any ICC trophy under Babar’s captaincy, but his overall win percentage is impressive. His captaincy in T20Is was particularly impressive, with 48 wins from 85 matches at the helm, giving him an impressive win percentage of 59.49%, which makes him the second-most successful T20I captain globally. In ODIs, Babar captained Pakistan in 43 matches, securing 26 wins and 15 losses, while in Test cricket, he led in 20 matches, achieving 10 victories. Overall, his captaincy across 187 matches yielded a commendable win percentage of 56.75.

Pakistan reaching the final of the 2021 T20 World Cup was one of the highest points in Babar’s career. But Pakistan’s early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup marked a low point in his tenure. After stepping down from captaincy in all formats following the 2023 Cricket World Cup, he was reappointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain in March 2024, only to resign again in October 2024, citing workload and a desire to focus on his batting.

Wasim Akram

Following Imran Khan’s retirement after the victorious 1992 World Cup, Wasim Akram was entrusted with the captaincy. For seven years, he guided Pakistan to some memorable wins. 

In 1996, Akram led Pakistan to a 2-0 series victory over England on English soil. In 1999, he captained Pakistan to the final of the ODI World Cup, although they were ultimately defeated by Australia in a one-sided contest.

In the same year, Akram's Test captaincy reached new heights during the Asian Test Championship, where Pakistan emerged as the best team in Asia by defeating both India and Sri Lanka. This victory was particularly symbolic, as it came during a period of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Akram was also the Player of the Series in the Asian Test Championship. 

Despite these successes, Akram’s captaincy also had its share of controversies. He and three other players were arrested for publicly smoking marijuana during Pakistan’s 1993 tour of the West Indies, a scandal that briefly cast a shadow over his leadership.

Akram’s captaincy tenure spanned three periods: 1993-94, 1995-96, and 1997-99. In Tests, he captained Pakistan in 25 matches, winning 12, losing eight, and drawing 5. In ODIs, he led the team in 109 matches, winning 66.

One of the most feared fast bowlers in the world, particularly known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, Akram is still Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, with 414 wickets.

Misbah ul Haq 

Misbah-ul-Haq was made the captain during a tumultuous time for Pakistan cricket. After Shahid Afridi was removed as ODI captain in 2012, Misbah stepped in. Under his leadership, Pakistan, ranked fifth in the Test rankings, achieved some memorable wins, including a 3-0 clean sweep over England, the then No. 1 Test team, in 2012. In another three-match Test series against England in 2015, Pakistan drew the first match before winning the next two. 

Another historic feat under Misbah's reign was a first-ever Test series win against Australia in 20 years in 2014. It was during this series when Misbah also set the world record for the fastest half-century in Tests (50 off 21). That same year, Pakistan chased over 300 runs in the final three sessions against Sri Lanka in to square a series. 

In 2016, Pakistan achieved the pinnacle of Test cricket under Misbah's captaincy by reaching the No.1 spot in the ICC Test rankings. Misbah turned the UAE, Pakistan’s adopted home ground, into an unassailable fortress. Under his captaincy, Pakistan remained unbeaten across nine consecutive Test series in the UAE.

Misbah’s captaincy spanned from 2011 to 2016, during which he led Pakistan to 24 wins out of 52 Test matches, losing 17 and drawing 11. In ODIs, he captained Pakistan in 87 matches, winning 45 of them. His brief T20 captaincy yielded six wins from eight matches.

Sarfaraz Ahmed 

Sarfaraz Ahmed’s time as Pakistan’s captain was full of highs and lows. He became the 32nd captain of the Pakistan national team, taking over from Misbah-ul-Haq. His biggest achievement came in 2017 when he led Pakistan to a stunning Champions Trophy victory, beating India in the final – a moment fans will never forget. 

In T20Is, Sarfaraz’s leadership was good. He took Pakistan to the top of the ICC rankings, winning 29 out of 37 matches, including an incredible run of 11 consecutive series wins. Overall, he captained Pakistan in 100 matches, winning 61 of them, giving him the best win percentage (61%) among Pakistan captains who led in at least 50 matches.

However, things didn’t always go smoothly. Pakistan’s failure to make the semi-finals in the 2019 World Cup was a major letdown, and a 3-0 T20I series loss to Sri Lanka at home later that year resulted in Sarfaraz being removed as captain of the Test and T20I teams. Despite the setbacks, Sarfaraz’s ability to lead during some of Pakistan’s most memorable moments, especially the Champions Trophy win and T20I dominance, remains a key part of his legacy.

Inzamam-ul-Haq

Inzamam-ul-Haq took over the ODI captaincy of Pakistan in 2003, following the team's early exit from the World Cup that year. However, his tenure ended four years later, after Pakistan's early exit from the 2007 World Cup. While he couldn't lead Pakistan to an ICC trophy, Haq's overall tenure saw him register a win percentage of 52.94. 

One of Haq's most memorable moments as captain came during the 2004-05 series in India. Inzamam led them to a 1-1 Test series draw and a 4-2 ODI series win. His individual brilliance shone in the third and final Test, where he scored a match-winning 184 runs in Bangalore. 

In all, he led Pakistan in 31 Test matches, winning 11, losing as many, and drawing nine. In the ODI format, he captained the team in 87 matches, notching 51 wins and 33 losses. Haq also captained Pakistan in a solitary T20I, which they won.

Waqar Younis 

Waqar Younis, known for his lethal pace and reverse swing, made history when he became the youngest captain of the Pakistan Test team at the age of 22 years and 15 days. He still ranks as the fourth youngest Test captain in cricket history. While his captaincy career ended in disappointment after Pakistan's early exit from the 2003 World Cup, Younis led Pakistan to some memorable wins.

From 2001 to 2003, Younis led Pakistan in both the longer formats. Pakistan won a two-match Test series against England in 2001 under his captaincy. 

Statistically, Younis had an impressive record as captain. In 17 Test matches, Pakistan won 10 and lost seven, with no drawn games. However, it was in the ODI format where Younis truly shone as a captain. With a winning percentage of 59.68%, he is one of Pakistan's most successful ODI captains among those who led in 50 or more ODI matches. In 62 ODIs under Younis' captaincy, Pakistan won 37 and lost 23.

As a bowler cum captain, he holds the record for the best bowling figures by a captain in an ODI, taking seven wickets for 36 runs. He is also the first captain to claim a seven-wicket haul in an ODI match.

Shoaib Malik 

Shoaib Malik’s time as Pakistan’s captain was short but fairly successful. He led the team in three Tests, losing two and drawing one, 36 ODIs with 24 wins, and 17 T20Is, securing 12 victories. This gave him an impressive overall win percentage of 59.3. One of the standout moments of his captaincy was leading Pakistan to the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. 

However, his captaincy ended on a sour note in 2009 after Pakistan suffered a crushing ODI defeat against Sri Lanka, bowled out for just 75 runs and losing the series 2–1. Following this loss, Malik stepped down, and Younis Khan took over the reins. While his stint wasn’t long, Malik’s leadership left its mark during a pivotal period for Pakistan cricket.

Shahid Afridi 

Shahid Afridi led Pakistan through several highs and lows during his time as skipper. He captained the team in a solitary Test match, which ended in a loss, before stepping down from Test captaincy midway through a series against Australia in 2010. In the 50-over format, Afridi led Pakistan in 38 matches, winning 19 and losing 18. In the shortest format, the dynamic all-rounder has a balanced record of 15 wins and 15 losses from 30 games.

One of the highlights of Afridi’s captaincy was guiding an unsettled Pakistan side to the semi-finals of the 2012 World T20. However, his tenure was not without controversies. Afridi was suspended for ball-tampering during an ODI against Australia in 2009. He also had a well-documented strained relationship with coach Waqar Younis.