Shapoor Zadran dies at the age of 38, hero of Afghanistan cricket’s first victory, lost the battle of life in Delhi

New Delhi. Today has brought a very painful and irreparable loss for the cricket world. Shapoor Zadran, one of the most popular and combative fast bowlers who brought Afghanistan cricket recognition on the international stage, is no more. 38-year-old Shapoor was ill since October last year and was admitted in a critical condition in a hospital in India since January 2026. Despite the tireless efforts of doctors and the prayers of fans around the world, he could not be saved.

Shapoor Zadran, an early pillar of Afghanistan cricket and former fast bowler, made a major contribution to the development of cricket in his country. He was suffering from a very rare and life-threatening immune system disease called ‘hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis’ (HLH) for the last several months. He breathed his last on 7 July 2026 during treatment in a hospital in the Delhi-NCR region of India. The official announcement of his death has been made by Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on social media.

Jung was fighting a rare disease

Shapoor Zadran was suffering from advanced stage (Stage-4) of a dangerous disease called ‘Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis’ (HLH). This is a disorder in which the body’s immune system becomes excessively active and starts damaging its own organs (like bone marrow, liver and spleen). Due to this, many serious infections occurred in his body and ultimately he lost the battle of life.

Afghanistan Cricket Board expressed deep sorrow

Paying tribute to Shapoor, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) wrote, Shapoor Zadran was one of the stalwarts who laid the foundation of Afghanistan cricket. His dedication, passion and unwavering commitment played an important role in the development of this game in our country. He was one of those glorious cricketers who lived the early journey of Afghan cricket and paved the way to the international stage.

That historic victory of 2015 World Cup will remain immortal in the pages of history.

Shapoor Zadran’s name will always be recorded in golden letters in the history of Afghanistan cricket. In the very exciting match played against Scotland in the 2015 ODI World Cup, Shapoor Zadran gave Afghanistan its first victory in the World Cup history by hitting a four. His celebration of running with open arms on the field after winning the match is still fresh in the minds of cricket lovers.

a decade long career

Shapoor Zadran played 44 ODI (43 wickets) and 36 T20 International (37 wickets) matches for Afghanistan between 2009 and 2020. The 6 feet tall Shapoor, who considered Shoaib Akhtar as his idol, his run-up from the boundary line and his aggressive bowling was enough to scare the big batsmen of the world. From the horrors of war and life as a refugee to reaching the pinnacle of international cricket, Shapoor’s story will always inspire the coming generations.