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Afghanistan’s cricket mourns death of former fast bowler Shapoor Zadran
His brother and former Afghanistan cricketer, Dawlat Zadran, confirmed the news on Tuesday, describing the loss as heartbreaking.
Former Afghanistan’s fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, one of the key figures behind the country’s rise in international cricket, has died at the age of 38 after battling a rare and life-threatening illness.
His brother and former Afghanistan cricketer, Dawlat Zadran, confirmed the news on Tuesday, describing the loss as heartbreaking.
Zadran had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in New Delhi after being diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare immune disorder. He had remained under medical care in India since January and was readmitted after his condition deteriorated.
A left-arm fast bowler, Zadran made his international debut in 2009 and played his final match for Afghanistan in 2020, according to the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
During his international career, he represented Afghanistan in 80 matches, claiming 43 wickets in One-Day Internationals and 37 wickets in Twenty20 Internationals.
Zadran featured in three ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and was a member of Afghanistan’s historic squad at the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, the country’s first appearance at the 50-over tournament.
One of the defining moments of his career came during the 2015 World Cup in New Zealand, when Afghanistan secured its first-ever Cricket World Cup victory by defeating Scotland by one wicket. Although renowned for his fast bowling, Zadran struck the winning runs to seal the historic triumph.
After spending several years away from international cricket, Zadran officially announced his retirement in January 2025, saying he was ending a 22-year journey of “service, sacrifice and love for cricket.”
The Afghanistan Cricket Board paid tribute to Zadran, describing him as a key figure in the rise of Afghan cricket, and thanked him for his lasting contribution to the development of the sport in the country.
Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Afghanistan’s golden generation, Shapoor Zadran played a vital role in taking Afghan cricket from the associate ranks to the world’s biggest international tournaments. His achievements and contributions remain an enduring part of Afghanistan’s sporting history.