Former Afghanistan pacer Shapoor Zadran has shockingly passed away after a prolonged illness at 38 on Tuesday, July 7. Zadran had been battling Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis and had been treated in the Delhi-NCR region for the past several months. Incidentally, the Afghan star would have turned 39 tomorrow (July 8).
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced Zadran’s passing in a statement on their X handle, saying:
“With profound grief and deep sorrow, the Afghanistan Cricket Board mourns the passing of former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran. Shapoor Zadran was one of the foundation-laying figures of Afghanistan cricket, whose dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment played a vital role in the rise and development of the game in our country.”
The statement continued:
“He was among the proud cricketers who stood at the heart of Afghanistan’s early cricket journey and helped build the path that brought Afghan cricket to the international stage. Throughout his career, Shapoor served Afghanistan cricket with honor, courage, and pride. His contributions and achievements will always remain an important part of the history of Afghanistan cricket, and his efforts in the service of the national team will never be forgotten.”
Team India fans will remember Shapoor Zadran giving them a massive scare in the 2012 World T20 clash against Afghanistan. The tall seamer cleaned up current Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and his opening partner Virender Sehwag in a fiery opening spell.
As a result, the Men in Blue could only muster a subpar 159/5 in 20 overs, with Zadran boasting excellent figures of 2/33 in four overs.
A lookback at Shapoor Zadran’s international career
Shapoor Zadran was one of Afghanistan’s first cricketers to emerge on the world stage in the late 2000s. The right-arm pacer is 11th all-time among Afghanistan bowlers in wickets with 80 scalps in as many outings.
Zadran’s best moment for the country came in the 2015 ODI World Cup, when he led the side with 10 wickets in six matches at an excellent average of 26.50 and an economy rate of 5.19. He has also represented Afghanistan in four T20 World Cups from 2010 to 2016, taking a combined 9 wickets at an average of 23 and an economy rate of 7.39.
Zadran’s international career spanned over a decade from 2009 to 2020, with his final game coming against Ireland in March 2020.
Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran