As Afghanistan played their ICC World Cup 2019 group stage match against England at Manchester, the match marked the fourth occasion that Mujeeb Ur Rahman Zadran and Noor Ali Zadran had played in the same ODI.
What’s the big deal about that, one may ask? Well, the Zadrans are one of the more unique stories currently in international cricket. Young spinner Mujeeb is the nephew of opening batsman Noor Ali Zadran, who played for Afghanistan in their very first One Day International against Scotland in 2009, and has represented the national team ever since.
Although Mujeeb lost his father when he was only three months old, he grew up in a town called Khost with senior Zadran’s family, bowling to him in the ancestral house which saw him spend his formative years.
“I used to bowl to my uncle from a very young age. And I used to bowl with a mindset that I was already playing at the international level. Right from the beginning, I got a chance to bowl to international players,” Mujeeb had told TOI in a 2008 interview.
Eighteen-year-old Mujeeb is currently one of the hottest prospects in Afghanistan cricket, having represented Kings XI Punjab in the last IPL. Noor Ali, 30, on the other hand, has been ever-present in Afghanistan’s rise to the top level of international cricket and has played over 70 ODI and T20I matches for his country.
ICC World Cup 2019: Nephew-Uncle Zadran Duo Take to Field for Afghanistan
As Afghanistan played their ICC World Cup 2019 group stage match against England at Manchester, the match marked the fourth occasion that Mujeeb Ur Rahman Zadran and Noor Ali Zadran had played in the same ODI.
What’s the big deal about that, one may ask? Well, the Zadrans are one of the more unique stories currently in international cricket. Young spinner Mujeeb is the nephew of opening batsman Noor Ali Zadran, who played for Afghanistan in their very first One Day International against Scotland in 2009, and has represented the national team ever since.
Although Mujeeb lost his father when he was only three months old, he grew up in a town called Khost with senior Zadran’s family, bowling to him in the ancestral house which saw him spend his formative years.
“I used to bowl to my uncle from a very young age. And I used to bowl with a mindset that I was already playing at the international level. Right from the beginning, I got a chance to bowl to international players,” Mujeeb had told TOI in a 2008 interview.
Eighteen-year-old Mujeeb is currently one of the hottest prospects in Afghanistan cricket, having represented Kings XI Punjab in the last IPL. Noor Ali, 30, on the other hand, has been ever-present in Afghanistan’s rise to the top level of international cricket and has played over 70 ODI and T20I matches for his country.
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