Afghanistan mourn Shapoor Zadran, postpone domestic T20 league as mark of respect

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has postponed two days of fixtures in the ongoing 11th edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League to honour former fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 38. The board announced that the scheduled matches on Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9, would not be played as a mark of respect for one of the pioneers of Afghanistan cricket.

In an official statement, the ACB said the decision had been taken “as a mark of respect and in tribute to the late Shapoor Zadran.” A revised schedule for the remainder of the T20 tournament will be announced in due course.

“As a mark of respect and in tribute to the late Shapoor Zadran, the scheduled matches for Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9, in the 11th edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League 2026, have been postponed,” the ACB wrote in a statement.

FINAL FAREWELL PLANNED IN KABUL

The ACB also confirmed the arrangements for Zadran’s funeral. His mortal remains were scheduled to arrive at Kabul International Airport on Wednesday before being taken to his family residence in Sadr-e-Azam Township in the Bagrami district. The funeral prayers will be held at the historic Eidgah Mosque in Kabul on Thursday morning, following which he will be laid to rest at Maranjan Hill.

The board said its officials, along with members of the Afghanistan national team, would attend the funeral ceremony to pay their final respects to the former left-arm pacer. The postponement of the country’s premier domestic T20 competition underlines the immense respect Zadran commanded within Afghanistan’s cricketing fraternity.

“The mortal remains of the late Shapoor Zadran will arrive at Kabul International Airport today, Wednesday, at 4:00 PM and will then be taken to his family residence in Sadr-e-Azam Township in Bagrami District,” another ACB statetement read.

“The funeral prayer will be offered on Thursday at 10:00 AM at Eidgah Mosque, Kabul. Following the prayer, the late Shapoor Zadran will be laid to rest during a special burial ceremony at Maranjan Hill, Kabul.”

A PIONEER OF AFGHANISTAN’S RISE IN WORLD CRICKET

Zadran was among the first generation of cricketers who helped establish Afghanistan on the international stage. He made his international debut in 2009 and went on to represent his country in 80 matches across formats, including 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is. The left-arm seamer claimed 43 ODI wickets and 37 T20I wickets before playing his final international in 2020.

He remains best remembered for his heroic contribution during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he struck the winning boundary against Scotland to secure Afghanistan’s first-ever World Cup victory. Zadran also finished as Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker in that tournament with 10 wickets, cementing his place in the country’s cricketing folklore.

Zadran had been undergoing treatment in New Delhi for Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and severe immune system disorder, before passing away a day short of his 39th birthday.

His death has triggered an outpouring of tributes from teammates, former players and fans, with many remembering him as one of the architects of Afghanistan’s remarkable rise from an Associate nation to a full member of the International Cricket Council.

– Ends