Who was Shapoor Zadran? Afghan pacer dies at 38

The former Afghanistan pacer, Shapoor Zadran, has died on the day short of his 39th birthday after spending the last few months battling hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in a hospital in Delhi. His younger brother, Ghamai Zadran, confirmed the news, as he was with Shapoor since he was moved to Delhi for better treatment.

Shapoor, the former left-arm pacer of the Afghanistan side, had been suffering from an advanced stage of HLH, which is a rare disease in which the immune system starts failing.

Who is Shapoor Zadran — Afghanistan's flamboyant left-arm speedster

Shapoor was one of the most recognized faces of Afghanistan cricket at the early stage of the side, especially between 2000 and 2010. He shone during the 2015 ODI World Cup- the only one he played- and ended the event as their leading wicket-taker in Australia and New Zealand with 10 wickets.

He was born in Logar Province of Afghanistan before moving to Peshawar in Pakistan when war started in the region. After developing his game at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Gymkhana, he started playing hard-ball cricket in 2001 and hoped to feature along with Shoaib Akhtar. But he moved back home when Iqbal Sikander, who played a few ODIs for Pakistan, grabbed the coaching role in Afghanistan.

The tall pacer used to extract bounce with full pace, creating massive trouble for the batters to come up against the short balls. It was a memorable sight to watch him sprinting with the long hair following in his run-up.

“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 Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) released a statement on the pacer’s demise.

“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.” The statement revealed.

Shapoor Zadran’s role in Afghanistan cricket's historic rise to the world stage

Shapoor made his debut for Afghanistan in an ODI against the Netherlands in 2009 and picked up four wickets, which remained his best figures of 4/24 in his career. In the following year against Ireland, he made his debut in the shortest format.

Zadran picked up 43 wickets in 44 innings of the 50-over format at an average of 36.95 and a strike rate of 46.10 with two four-wicket hauls, while in T20Is, he collected 37 wickets in just 36 innings at an economy rate of below eight.

“The Afghanistan Cricket Board extends its heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to his family, friends, loved ones, former teammates, and the entire Afghan cricket community. His loss is deeply felt, and his memory will forever remain alive in the hearts of the people of Afghanistan and the cricketing world.” The board added.