Shapoor Zadran laid to rest in Kabul as Afghan teammates pay their last respects

Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran was laid to rest on Thursday at Maranjan Hill in Kabul, where thousands of mourners gathered to bid farewell to one of the architects of the country’s remarkable rise in international cricket.

Current and former Afghanistan players, including Rashid Khan, Hamid Hassan, Asghar Afghan and Samiullah Shinwari, joined Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials, family members and dignitaries to pay their last respects.

Zadran’s mortal remains arrived in Kabul on Wednesday after being flown from India following his death at the age of 38 following a prolonged illness. The coffin was received at Kabul International Airport by teammates, ACB officials and family members before it was taken to the historic Eidgah Mosque where funeral prayers were held on Wednesday morning.

After prayers, the former left-arm pacer was laid to rest at Maranjan Hill in a ceremony attended by family, friends and members of the Afghan cricket fraternity, marking an emotional farewell to one of the pioneers who helped shape the country’s rise in international cricket.

THE PIONEER OF AFGHANISTAN CRICKET

Zadran was one of the cornerstones of modern Afghan cricket. Making his international debut in 2009, the left-arm fast bowler represented Afghanistan in 80 international matches across formats between 2009 and 2020. He took 43 wickets in ODIs and 37 in T20Is, completing 80 international appearances during a period in which Afghanistan established itself as a powerhouse in world cricket.

Among his most memorable contributions was the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. Zadran finished as Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 10 wickets and also hit the winning runs against Scotland, sealing the nation’s first-ever men’s ODI World Cup victory, a landmark in Afghan sporting history.

Tributes poured in from across the cricketing world following his death earlier this week. The ACB described him as one of the “ground-breaking figures” of Afghan cricket, whose passion and determination helped shape the growth of the game in the country.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah and several cricket committees also expressed their condolences and remembered Zadran’s contribution to Afghanistan’s inspirational journey from associate members to the global stage.

ACB has also postponed two days of matches of the ongoing 11th Shpageeza Cricket League in memory of Shapoor Zadran. The matches scheduled for Wednesday 8 July and Thursday 9 July have been called off as a mark of respect for one of the pioneers of Afghan cricket.

In a statement, the ACB said the matches have been postponed in honor of the former fast bowler, adding that a revised schedule for the rest of the T20 tournament will be announced in due course.

As Kabul bid farewell to one of its cricketing heroes, Zadran leaves behind a legacy that will remain inseparable from Afghanistan’s rise in international cricket.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

09 Jul 2026 14:40 IST