Afghanistan’s Shapoor Zadran passes away at 38:Fast bowler was battling prolonged illness in Delhi, retired from international cricket in 2025

Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran passed away on Tuesday (July 8) at the age of 38 after a long illness. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the heartbreaking news through a post on X, paying tribute to one of the country’s pioneering cricketers. Zadran also represented Afghanistan in three ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and made valuable contributions in several Asian Cricket Council (ACC) pathway tournaments, helping the national team grow into a strong international side. He officially announced his international retirement on 30 January 2025. Shapoor Zadran passed away after a prolonged illness On Tuesday, Shapoor Zadran passed away as he was struggling with a prolonged illness. He had been battling Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare disorder that affects the body’s immune system. Zadran had been undergoing treatment in the Delhi-NCR region for the last few months. During his international career, which lasted from 2009 to 2020, Zadran represented Afghanistan in both One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). He has also represented Afghanistan during the 2015 ODI World Cup and was their main key pacer in the squad. Shapoor Zadran’s career achievements for Afghanistan Shapoor Zadran was one of the most important members of Afghanistan’s early cricket team. The left-arm fast bowler played 80 international matches for his country, including 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is. During this period, he claimed 43 wickets in ODIs and 37 wickets in T20Is. One of the most memorable moments of his career came during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup when he scored the winning runs against Scotland. That victory remains one of the biggest milestones in Afghanistan’s cricket history. Afghanistan cricket board on Zadran’s demise After Shapoor Zadran’s demise became official, Afghanistan Cricket shared a mourning message for his soul. ACB wrote, “Shapoor Zadran was one of the foundation-lying 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.” “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,” board continued further. “Beyond his achievements on the field, Shapoor Zadran was a true source of inspiration for many young Afghan cricketers and for cricket followers across the world. His fighting spirit, determination, and love for the game gave hope to many and encouraged a generation to dream bigger and believe in the future of Afghanistan cricket,” the ACB statement concluded.