Afghanistan cricket mourns pacer Shapoor Zadran’s death a day before his 39th birthday

Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran has died after a prolonged illness a day before his 39th birthday.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday "with profound grief and deep sorrow."

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"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."

Zadran was suffering from a rare disease which affected his immune system. He was being treated at a hospital in New Delhi since January.

The 1.88-meter (6-foot-2) fast bowler took 80 wickets in 44 one-day internationals and 36 Twenty20s while playing international cricket from 2009-20.

His best performance came at the 2015 ODI World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in which he was the leading Afghanistan wicket-taker with 10. He also played in four T20 World Cups and took nine wickets in nine games.

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Zadran's career-best figures of 4-24 in ODIs came on debut against the Netherlands in 2009. He made his T20 debut against Ireland in February 2010 and his best performance was 3-40 against Bangladesh in 2018.

"Shapoor served Afghanistan cricket with honor, courage, and pride," the ACB said. "His efforts in the service of the national team will never be forgotten."

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