Shapoor Zadran wants to forget the blasts happening back home and focus on cricket

Shapoor Zadran is known for his aggression when he runs in with the ball in hand. He clocks good speeds on the speedometer and has been a genuine wicket-taker for the national team Afghanistan. The 30-year-old is in India at the moment for the Twenty20 International series against Bangladesh.

While the team is toiling hard to make a difference on the cricket field another terror strike shook the nation. A suicide attack killed at least seven people in Kabul. Zadran is disturbed with what’s happening back home as the attacks just keep happening every month.

“They (blasts) keep happening but we have to forget that. Every month there is an attack. We are on tour mostly, what option do we have? We have to put it behind and focus 100 percent on the game,” Shapoor was quoted as saying on Scroll.in.

He has played 43 ODIs and 33 T20Is in a long injury prone career. The tall fast bowler wasn’t cent percent fit for the first T20I against Bangladesh either, he was gearing up for the game with knee straps.

Missing out the historic Test

Shapoor hasn’t played a lot of first-class cricket. Having made his debut against Zimbabwe XI in 2009, the last time he walked out in the whites for Afghanistan was in 2013 against Namibia. Hence he wasn’t in the scheme of things when the selectors named the squad for the historic one-off Test in India.

“It is disappointing to miss out but I have not been able to play four-day cricket because of injuries. I am fit now and can still hit 140 kmph consistently but I am focusing mainly on limited overs cricket.

“I have been playing the game for 16 years now and it feels really proud to see that Afghanistan cricket has come such a long way. Never thought we would be playing a Test match against India,” he said on missing out the game against India.

Afghans in the IPL

Shapoor is proud of what the Afghan boys have managed to achieve in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has been a part of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and is expecting to play in the IPL as well.

“This time we had three players (Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Zadran) in the IPL. The number will only increase next season. I learnt a lot while playing the Bangladesh Premier League. Hopefully, I will get a chance in the IPL,” concluded Shapoor.

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