ICC chairman Jay Shah on Wednesday paid tribute to former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, who died at the age of 38, describing him as one of the key figures behind Afghanistan’s rise in international cricket.
Zadran passed away in India on Tuesday after a prolonged illness, a day before his 39th birthday. The left-arm pacer, who represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020, had been undergoing treatment at a New Delhi hospital after being diagnosed with stage four Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and life-threatening immune disorder.
His condition deteriorated after recurring infections, dengue and a sharp decline in his red blood cell count. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in May.
Zadran’s health issues began in October last year, after which he was advised to seek treatment in India. With the support of Rashid Khan and Mirwais Ashraf, his visa was fast-tracked, enabling him to be admitted to a New Delhi hospital in January.
Paying tribute in a post on X, Shah recalled Zadran’s contribution to Afghanistan cricket, particularly his role in the team’s first-ever victory at the ICC Cricket World Cup.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran at the age of 38. Shapoor played a significant role in Afghanistan’s remarkable rise in international cricket and will always be remembered for his match-winning all-round performance against Scotland in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, which secured Afghanistan’s first-ever World Cup victory,” Shah wrote on X.
“Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the entire Afghanistan cricket fraternity. May his soul rest in peace,” he added.
Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Afghanistan cricket, Zadran played a key role in the national team’s emergence on the international stage. His match-winning all-round performance against Scotland at the 2015 World Cup remains one of the defining moments in Afghanistan’s cricketing history.
(with agency inputs)
