Shapoor Zadran, the former fast bowler who played a prominent role in Afghanistan’s rapid rise in international cricket, has died at age 38 after a period of serious illness.
“Heartbroken by the passing of my dear friend and brother, Shapoor Zadran,” his brother former national cricket team member, Dawlat Zadran, wrote in a statement on Tuesday. “Words cannot express this loss.”
Zadran had been receiving treatment at a hospital in New Delhi after being diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or H.L.H., a rare and life-threatening immune disorder. He had been hospitalized in India since January and was readmitted after his condition worsened following an initial period of improvement.
A tall left-arm fast bowler, Zadran was a central figure in the formative years of Afghanistan’s national cricket team. He made his international debut in 2009 and played his final match for Afghanistan in 2020, according to the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
Zadran represented Afghanistan in 80 international matches, taking 43 wickets in One-Day Internationals and 37 in Twenty20 Internationals — 80 wickets in all.
He appeared in three ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaigns and was part of Afghanistan’s squad for its first appearance at the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2015.
One of the defining moments of his career came during that tournament in Dunedin, New Zealand, when Afghanistan defeated Scotland by one wicket for its first Cricket World Cup victory. Better known for his fast bowling, Zadran was at the crease at the end of the tense chase and hit the winning runs.
After several years away from international competition, Zadran formally announced his retirement in January 2025.
“Today is the day I never wanted to face, but it eventually comes for every player,” Zadran wrote at the time. He said he was retiring after 22 years of “service, sacrifice, and love for cricket.”
“Cricket has been more than just a game to me; it has been my passion, identity, and purpose,” he wrote.
Zadran said he had dreamed since childhood of representing Afghanistan and was proud to have played a part in raising the country’s flag on the international stage.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board, announcing his retirement in January 2025, described Zadran as “a key figure in the rise of cricket in Afghanistan” and thanked him for his contribution to the sport’s development in the country.
Zadran belonged to the generation of Afghan players who took the national team from relative obscurity to major international tournaments. His left-arm pace, imposing presence and animated celebrations made him one of the most recognizable players of that era.
His role in Afghanistan’s 2015 World Cup victory over Scotland remained an enduring image of the country’s early cricketing success: a fast bowler who had helped Afghanistan reach the sport’s biggest stage, standing at the crease to secure its first World Cup win.
