Noor Ali Zadran announces retirement from international cricket

Afghanistan top-order batter Noorali Zadran called time on his international career on Thursday (7th March). He made the decision ahead of the ongoing first ODI against Ireland. The match between the teams is taking place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. 

Noor Ali Zadran last played for Afghanistan in the recently concluded one-off Test against Ireland. The batter didn’t have a great outing in the first innings of the game as he scored 7 runs off 27 balls but played a decent knock in the second innings of the game. 

Noor Ali Zadran scored 32 off 72 balls and also hit three boundaries in his innings. His efforts went in vain as Afghanistan lost the game by the margin of 6 wickets. The top order didn’t have the fairytale ending to his career but he would be proud of his contributions to the team. 

Noor Ali Zadran made his Test debut for Afghanistan in the one-off Test against Sri Lanka. He was handed a debut cap by his nephew Ibhrahim Zadran and the duo even opened the innings for the team in the recently concluded Test match against Ireland. 

Noor Ali Zadran has been an incredible servant for the Afghanistan Cricket Team in the white-ball Cricket. He played 51 ODIs for the team and scored 1216 runs to his name at an average of around 25. The top-order batter slammed one century and 7 half-centuries in his career. 

Noor Ali Zadran also represented Afghanistan in the 22 T20Is. He scored 586 runs under his name at a strike rate of over 100 and an average of over 26. His absence will leave a huge void in Afghanistan’s white-ball team as his experience would be irreplaceable. 

Noor Ali Zadran played 2 Test matches for Afghanistan as well. He mustered 117 runs at an average of around 30 and a best of 47. He called time on his career at the age of 35. He was part of some of the famous wins for the Afghanistan team. He would be happy with his career with the way things panned out.

Noor Ali was part of the team when Afghanistan played their first in April 2009, against Scotland in Benoni. He opened the batting for the team in the hand and scored 45 runs. One of the main highlights of his career was his half-century against India at the T20 World Cup in 2010.

Afghanistan Cricket Team gives a guard of honour to Noor Ali Zadran as he calls his retirement from the game of cricket

The Afghanistan Cricket Board revealed about the development related to Noor Ali Zadran. They stated that Batter decided to call time on his career and shared a heartfelt post for his retirement. 

They share a picture in which Noor Ali Zadran can be seen getting a guard of honor from the Afghanistan Cricket Team players ahead of the first ODI against Ireland underway at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. They stated: 

“𝐍𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐢 𝐙𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞!Top-order batter @NoorAliZadran decided to call time on his international cricket. He has represented #AfghanAtalan in 2 Tests, 51 ODIs and 23 T20Is and has scored 1930 runs with 11 fifties and a hundred to his name.”

𝐍𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐢 𝐙𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞! 👍

Top-order batter @NoorAliZadran decided to call time on his international cricket. He has represented #AfghanAtalan in 2 Tests, 51 ODIs and 23 T20Is and has scored 1930 runs with 11 fifties and a hundred to his name.#AFGvIRE pic.twitter.com/8UGGNjvBM0

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) March 7, 2024