World Cup 2015: Afghanistan's Shapoor Zadran has been a revelation

Circa 1999. Afghanistan's Paktia province is under attack. Shapoor Zadran, all of 12, is petrified. But in spite of seeing the other villagers run helter-skelter, he chooses to stay put in the house. Eventually, he survives to tell the tale. Ask Zadran what he would do if the Taliban were to attack his native place now, and he starts giggling. "Taliban like cricket. I am cricketer. Taliban no attack cricketer," he says.

In an exclusive interaction mediated by media manager Bashir Stanikzai, Afghanistan's No. 1 pace bowler is quick to remind you that he won't speak in Hindi. "Board policy. Hindi no allowed, Urdu also. Only Pashto," he says. What about English? "English OK," he nods. Stanikzai is quick to add that he will play translator whenever necessary.

Tall (about 6'2"), muscular, flowing mane, piercing eyes, smart dresser, iPhone wielder, soft-spoken, gentle giant — Zadran is all of these rolled into one. He bowls left-arm fast, idolises Shoaib Akhtar, adores Shah Rukh Khan and wants to play in the IPL. And like most of his teammates, nay countrymen, he was a victim of war and volatility.

Playing in his sixth year on the international circuit, Zadran has 36 wickets in 33 ODIs. The other day in Dunedin, he took 4/38 and hit the winning runs as Afghanistan beat Scotland in a humdinger. For someone who was forced to escape from his land of birth to Peshawar in Pakistan, Zadran is glad to be living in the same village "in peace" with his parents, five brothers, six sisters, wife and a six-year-old boy. "In my house, maybe 16 people," he says. That's a big family. "No, no. In Afghanistan, 16 is small family." He giggles again.

Zadran first played the game with a tennis ball. "Start in 1998. I am 15 or 16," he says. The math doesn't add up because, according to official records, Zadran was born in 1987, but we shall let that pass. "In 2002, I start hard ball cricket. Then, I am play national team. I am enjoy national team," he says. Of course, he is enjoying it.

Zadran also recalls a funny story of a close friend dissuading him for playing the game. "My friend say you no play cricket. Waste of time. I say I will play cricket. I say him I come on television. I play. I come on television. Now my friend smile," he says.

Actually, Zadran and his friends didn't play with a simple tennis ball. They shaved it and wrapped it with tape so that it would aid pace and bounce on the lone cement wicket in the village. "I love cricket. I see television. I see Wasim Akram. I see Shoaib Akhtar. Really big fan. He is fast, very fast, style, body, everything. Akhtar always angry, every ball, very angry," he says.

But so are you. "Me? No, no, I am very happy," he says.

At the Asia Cup last year, Zadran had the good fortune of meeting Akram. "He say hi Shapoor. I very happy. He tell me how to out-swing, how to in-swing. He tell me I am good bowler. He show me how to grip ball. He show me position, kalai (wrist)," Zadran recalls with pride. Were he to meet Akhtar, what would he ask him? "How you bowl fast? Teach me. Teach me," Zadran says. Ask him the secret of his impressive physique and Zadran tells you that Afghanis are naturally fit. "Very fit. Running in mountain. (We) eat beef, lot of beef," he says.

Bashir then throws light on the hardships suffered by Zadran and the others. "Look, all of us had to run out of our country. But for these guys, cricket was always the No. 1 priority. Afghanistan cricket has come a long way.

First we got Asian Cricket Council membership. Then we got International Cricket Council membership (Affiliate, then Associate). In 2009, we got ODI status. Guys like Zadran have worked hard to get here," he says.

That's true. Actually, Zadran did not even inform his parents when he went for the national trials. "Father say no cricket. Go job, go job. I say no job, only cricket. Father angry, very angry, always angry. Now he happy. Everybody happy," he says.

Bashir confirms that the team's first 'dressing room' was a damaged helicopter. "We used to sit inside that grounded helicopter because it used to rain all the time. Now, we have a stadium there. The Indian government gave us a million dollars to build a stadium. That apart, the German government has supported us. We have a stadium in Jalalabad. There's one in Kabul too," Bashir says.

So how popular are the cricketers back home. "Well, the President (Ashraf Ghani) called us the day we beat Scotland. A day later, the former President (Hamid Karzai) congratulated us," Bashir reveals. But there's more to the fanfare. "A couple of years ago, more than 35,000 people gathered in a football stadium to see the cricket team. Recorded radio commentary was then played out on the loudspeakers. 'Shapoor gets a wicket', 'Nabi hits a four'. The people went mad. They thought it was live," Bashir recalls.

Today, players like Zadran can proudly claim to be professional cricketers who don't have to do day jobs. Some players also endorse products. "Zadran has done an advertisement for a petroleum company. He also endorses a Dubai hotel. All our players have a bat sponsor," Bashir says.

Apparently, Zadran is so popular he can't walk on the streets. Once, Bashir walked past a shop selling sports goods. Soon, he realised that Zadran's posters adorned the wall. "You know they use his face to sell shoes. I also saw his photo on bubble gum wrappers. He is so popular," Bashir says.

Zadran is quick to admit that Bashir is speaking the truth. "Everybody want autograph, photograph. They like me. I like them," Zadran says. Bashir informs that Zadran's son looks "exactly like this father". Zadran is quick to add that "he no bowler, he batsman."

Zadran wants Afghanistan to play Test cricket. "That's the next step. That's the logical thing for us," Bashir says. Zadran nods in agreement. "Test cricket very good. I like Ashes," he says.

Bashir wants the Asian boards like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh to help Afghanistan realise that dream. Zadran is also disappointed with the ICC's decision to trim the number of participants at the next World Cup. "No, no. Very bad. Support us. Give us series to Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. We want to play," he says. For someone who plays 300 days of cricket a year, that's a valid argument.

That apart, Bashir wants superstars from India to visit Afghanistan. "These players visit remote districts to promote the game. In fact, by promoting the game, they are promoting peace and unity. Shapoor has visited some scary areas up north. But he was welcomed there. I hope people like Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, who is an UNICEF ambassador, comes to our country. People love them so much. We had invited Sehwag but couldn't find a sponsor. He was ready to come over," Bashir says.

Zadran also wants to play in the IPL. "I request to the BCCI. Please, please, we want IPL. Chance to play. Please."