Afghanistan cricket is mourning the loss of former fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, who passed away on Tuesday at a New Delhi hospital, just a day before his 39th birthday.
He was reportedly receiving treatment for a rare and severe immune system disorder.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed his death on X, expressing “profound grief and deep sorrow.”
The board hailed Zadran as “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.”
Zadran, a left-arm pace bowler, made his one-day international debut in 2009 and went on to represent his nation in 80 international matches, including 44 ODIs and 36 Twenty20 internationals.
He famously secured Afghanistan’s first World Cup victory in 2015 against Scotland by hitting the winning boundary.
The Afghanistan men’s cricket team has since gone on to establish itself on the international stage, famously beating England for the first time by 69 runs at the 2023 World Cup.
The following year, they reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals before losing to South Africa, who went on to suffer a narrow defeat by India in the final.
Afghanistan also competed in the T20 World Cup earlier this year, but were placed in a difficult group with New Zealand and South Africa.
They were comfortably beaten by the Kiwis, setting up a must-win match against South Africa in a rematch of the semi-final from two years earlier.
What followed was a thrilling contest that went one way and then the other, with nothing to separate the sides are both innings, meaning that a Super Over was required.
Afghanistan looked set to win the Super Over after scoring 17 runs, but Tristan Stubbs hit a six off the final ball to force another Super Over, the first time this had occurred at the World Cup.
South Africa then held their nerve in the second Super Over, scoring 23 runs before restricting Afghanistan to 19 to send them out of the competition.
South Africa went on to meet New Zealand in the semi-finals, with the latter picking up a dominant victory before losing to India in the final.
