Experienced Afghanistan batsman Noor Ali Zadran announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday, after playing two Tests, 51 ODIs, and 23 T20Is for his country. Playing his maiden match in 2009, against Scotland in an ODI, Zadran hung up his boots after the Test against Ireland, that his team lost by six wickets.
In a career spanning 15 years, Zadran scored 1216 runs in ODIs, at an average of 24.81, and 597 runs in the T20Is, at an average of 27.13 in the T20Is. Meanwhile, the veteran was recalled to the national side for the Asian Games in October 2023, where he scored 51 and 39 runs against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, respectively.
Afghanistan ended up making it to the final of the event. What is noteworthy is the fact that, Zadran was part of the Afghanistan side when they played their maiden ODI iin 2009. In that match, as as opener, he scored 45 from 28 balls, taking his side to an 89-run win.
As far as the T20Is is concerned, Zadran played his first versus Canada in February 2010, where once again, Afghanistan won by five wickets. One of the biggest moments in his career came when he slammed a fifty against India in the T20 World Cup in 2010.
