Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran has passed away at the age of 38 following a prolonged illness, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Tuesday.
Zadran had been battling Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and severe immune system disorder that can trigger life-threatening inflammation and damage multiple organs.
According to reports, he had been receiving treatment in the Delhi-NCR region for the past several months.
He first fell ill in October last year and, after medical advice in Afghanistan, travelled to India for specialised treatment. Although his condition initially improved and he was discharged from hospital, he suffered a relapse around 20 days later.
Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Afghanistan cricket, Zadran played a pivotal role in the national side’s rise on the international stage.
The left-arm fast bowler was renowned for his pace, aggression and ability to make early breakthroughs, becoming a cornerstone of Afghanistan’s progress from an Associate nation to an ICC Full Member.
Born on 8 July 1987 in Logar Province, Zadran made his One-Day International (ODI) debut against the Netherlands in 2009, announcing himself with impressive figures of 4/24.
During an international career spanning more than a decade, he represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 Twenty20 Internationals, taking 43 ODI wickets and 37 T20I wickets. He featured in the 2010, 2012 and 2016 ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, spearheading Afghanistan’s pace attack in each tournament.
One of his most memorable performances came during the 2010 edition, when he dismissed Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, underlining Afghanistan’s growing presence on the world stage.
Zadran’s finest moment came at the 2015 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. He finished as Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker with 10 wickets and struck the winning runs against Scotland to secure the nation’s first-ever victory at a Cricket World Cup.
