The Story of Shapoor’s Heroism, the Schoolgirls, and the Echoes of Victory

It was 2015, and I was in the seventh grade. I went to school in the morning, at the same time as Afghanistan’s national team matches.

We did not have a close or friendly relationship with our teachers to ask them for match details. However, the only television in the whole school was in the men’s administration office, and they would turn it on during Afghanistan’s matches.

I don’t remember well which tournament it was, but it was a match between Afghanistan and Scotland. All of us girls sitting in the classrooms had our hearts and minds on the game, wondering what had happened and what would happen next.

Meanwhile, one of our friends went near the men’s administration office and watched the match on the TV through a small window.

“I will bring you the match details,” She said to our classroom.

She brought us over by over updates of the match, telling us the runs and the current situation.

Our friend also brought the news that Samiullah Shinwari scored 96 runs. We were extremely happy, and all our eyes were on him to win the game for us. While we were in this hope, she brought news saying that Afghanistan had lost a few wickets and the team was in a difficult situation. After that, we lost our hope and did not believe we would win the game, but our hearts were still beating fast, wondering how we would lose it at the end.

My friend went to watch the match through the window again, for the last time. The match had finished when she ran back into the classroom screaming,

“Afghanistan won! Shapoor hit a four!”

With this sound, it felt like the whole school found out the news. Not only did cheers and applause break out in the classrooms around us, but the echoes of happiness spread throughout the entire school.

Since the Afghan team was in a difficult situation, I was extremely curious to know how they won the match

“Who won the match and how?” I asked my friend.

“There were four balls and four runs left, and Shapoor Zadran hit a four. He even ran across the field and almost fainted from joy,” she replied.

I became so emotional that I wanted to cry out loud with happiness.

Years later, when I still watch that scene on TV or the internet—Shapoor’s four, his screams, his running, falling to the ground, and his prostration (Sajdah)—it reminds me of school, the schoolgirls, and the echoes of cheering. I experience the exact same feelings, as if this victory happened just now and Shapoor is making us happy all over again.

Shapoor is gone, but his beautiful hair, tall figure, serious face, humble nature, and manners still hold a special symbol in Afghanistan. Even now in the country, if someone has beautiful hair, people compare it to Shapoor’s looks. Shapoor is everything, in everything.

– Written by Amina Azizi

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