New Delhi: Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran has passed away at the age of 38 after prolonged illness, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACP) confirmed on Tuesday.
Chatran was battling hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and severe immune system disorder that causes life-threatening inflammation and damages multiple organs.
According to reports, he was undergoing treatment in the Delhi-NCR region for the past several months.
He first fell ill in October last year and went to India for specialized treatment after medical consultation in Afghanistan. Although his condition initially improved and he was discharged from the hospital, he relapsed about 20 days later.
Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Afghanistan cricket, Sadran was instrumental in the rise of the national team on the international stage.
The left-arm fast bowler was renowned for his pace, aggression and ability to make early breakthroughs, which became a cornerstone of Afghanistan’s progress from an associate nation to a full member of the ICC.
Born on 8 July 1987 in Lokhar province, Sadran made his One Day International (ODI) debut against the Netherlands in 2009, announcing himself with impressive figures of 4/24.
In an international career spanning more than a decade, he represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 Twenty20 Internationals, taking 43 ODI wickets and 37 T20I wickets. He featured in the 2010, 2012 and 2016 ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, spearheading Afghanistan’s pace attack in each tournament.
One of his most memorable performances during the 2010 edition was his dismissal of Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, underscoring Afghanistan’s growing presence on the world stage.
Chatran’s best moment came at the 2015 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. He was Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker with 10 wickets and scored the winning run against Scotland to give the country their first win at the Cricket World Cup.
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