Noor Ali Zadran

For the village in Iran, see Noor Ali, Iran. For the footballer, see Noor Zadran.

Noor Ali Zadran (Pashto: نور علی ځدراڼ; born 10 July 1988) is a former Afghan cricketer who played for the Afghanistan national cricket team.^[1] Ali is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. He cites Ricky Ponting as his cricketing hero and inspiration to play.^[2] His nephews Mujeeb Ur Rahman Zadran and Ibrahim Zadran also are Afghan international cricketers.^[3][4] He was first Afghan player to face a ball in ODIs. On 7 March 2024, he was announced his retirement from international cricket.^[5][6]

Noor Ali Zadran

Personal information
Full name	Noor Ali Zadran
Born	(1988-07-10) 10 July 1988 (age 36) Khost, Afghanistan
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium fast
Relations	Mujeeb Ur Rahman (nephew) Ibrahim Zadran (nephew)
International information
National side	Afghanistan (2009–2024)
Test debut (cap 30)	2 February 2024 v Sri Lanka
Last Test	28 February 2024 v Ireland
ODI debut (cap 9)	19 April 2009 v Scotland
Last ODI	18 June 2019 v England
ODI shirt no.	15
T20I debut (cap 13)	4 February 2010 v Canada
Last T20I	7 October 2023 v India
T20I shirt no.	15
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2017	Mis Ainak Region
Career statistics
Competition ODI T20I FC LA Matches 51 20 11 79 Runs scored 1,216 506 886 2,056 Batting average 24.81 26.63 46.63 27.05 100s/50s 1/7 0/3 3/5 4/10 Top score 114 63 130 122 Catches/stumpings 15/– 4/– 5/– 25/–
Source: Cricinfo, 17 October 2023
Medal record Representing  Afghanistan Men's Cricket Asian Games 2022 Hangzhou Team

Early career

Ali made his representative international debut for the Afghanistan U-17 cricket team against the United Arab Emirates Under-17s in 2004. His debut for the senior team came against Saudi Arabia in the 2006 Middle East Cup.^[7]

Ali made his Twenty20 debut for Afghanistan in the 2007 ACC Twenty20 Cup against Oman.

Ali was a part of the rapidly rising Afghan cricket team that from 2008 to 2009 won the World Cricket League Division Five, Division Four and Division Three, therefore promoting them to Division Two and allowing them to take part in the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifiers.

In the World Cup Qualifier, he made his List-A debut against Denmark.^[8] Later in the tournament, Ali scored 122 against Canada in the Super Eights in the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier; this match predated Afghanistan's ODI status (achieved later in the tournament), but was a List A game.^[9] During the tournament Afghanistan gained ODI status. He made his One Day International debut against Scotland, where he scored 45 runs.^[10]

First-class debut

Afghanistan's success in the World Cup Qualifier qualified the team for the 2009–10 ICC Intercontinental Cup in which they would regularly play first-class cricket against Associate countries.

Ali's first-class debut came in Afghanistan's first first-class match against a Zimbabwe XI. The Zimbabwe XI contained some players with experience of Test cricket – such as their captain and wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu, and fast bowler Christopher Mpofu – and ODI cricket.^[11] Ali opened the batting for the inexperienced Afghanistan team and scored a century on his first-class debut. He made 130 runs from 200 deliveries before he was dismissed by leg-spin bowler Tafadzwa Kamungozi. In Afghanistan's second innings, Ali followed up his heroics in the first innings by hitting exactly a hundred and remaining unbeaten when the match was declared a draw. Only three other players: Arthur Morris, Nari Contractor and Aamer Malik had hit centuries in both innings of their debut first-class match to that point.^[12][13]

Later tours

During Afghanistan's tour of the Netherlands in 2009, Ali made a vital half century contribution in Afghanistan's second innings during their Intercontinental Cup match against the Netherlands, helping Afghanistan to a 1 wicket victory. In November 2009, Ali was a key member of Afghanistan's ACC Twenty20 winning squad.

In January 2010, Ali continued his fine form in first-class cricket by scoring two fifties in Afghanistan's Intercontinental Cup victory over Ireland, with scores of 53 and 57. Following the Intercontinental Cup victory, he made his full Twenty20 International debut against Ireland in the 2010 Quadrangular Twenty20 Series in Sri Lanka. Following the tournament, Ali was a member of Afghanistan's victorious 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier winning squad and was later named in Afghanistan's squad for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20.^[14]

Following the tournament, Ali made his maiden ODI century, with a score of 114 against Canada at Sharjah.^[15] In the following Intercontinental Cup match with Canada, he scored 52 runs in Afghanistan's second innings, sharing an opening stand of 70 with Karim Sadiq as Afghanistan successfully chased 494 for victory. In April, Ali was a key member of Afghanistan's 2010 ACC Trophy Elite winning squad which defeated Nepal in the final. Earlier in the tournament he scored 108 runs from 88 balls against Bhutan.^[16]

2010 ICC World Twenty20

In Afghanistan's inaugural match in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 against India, Ali struck 50 from 48 balls and shared in a paternership of 68 with Asghar Afghan. Ali's 50 could not save Afghanistan from a 7 wicket defeat.^[17] In the team's second match against South Africa, Ali was one of a number of Afghan batsman who were unable to cope with the express pace of the South African attack, with Ali being caught behind by Mark Boucher from the bowling of Dale Steyn.^[18]

2019 Cricket World Cup

He was part of Afghanistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.^[19][20]

References

1. "Brilliant Noor Ali, young Atal hand Eagles first win". Afghanistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
2. "Noor Ali interview". Archived from the original on 17 September 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
3. Basu, Arani (6 June 2018). "Cricket is my language: Mujeeb Ur Rahman". Times of India. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
4. "20 cricketers for the 2020s". The Cricketer Monthly. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
5. "Afghanistan batter Noor Ali Zadran retires from international cricket". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
6. "Star from Afghanistan's first-ever ODI calls time on international career". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
7. Afghanistan v Saudi Arabia (2006)
8. Afghanistan v Denmark (2009)
9. Afghanistan v Canada (2009)
10. Afghanistan v Scotland (2009)
11. Cricinfo staff (15 August 2009), Afghanistan out to impress in four-day format, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 18 August 2009
12. "Afghanistan coach wants more from in-form Noor Ali". ESPNcricinfo. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
13. "Who's the oldest bowler to take a five-for in a Test?". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
14. ICC World Twenty20 Afghanistan squad
15. Afghanistan v Canada (2010)
16. Afghanistan v Bhutan (2010)
17. Afghanistan v India, 2010 ICC World Twenty20
18. Afghanistan v South Africa, 2010 ICC World Twenty20
19. "Hamid Hassan picked in Afghanistan's World Cup squad; Naib to captain". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
20. "Asghar Afghan included in Gulbadin Naib-led World Cup squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 22 April 2019.

External links

• Noor Ali Zadran at ESPNcricinfo