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Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Cricketer) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 10, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth28 March 2001

Age23 Years

BirthplaceKhost, Afghanistan

ProfessionCricketer (Bowler)

NationalityAfghan

Marital statusMarried

SpouseHomemaker

FamilyFather deceased; uncle Noor Ali Zadran; cousin Ibrahim Zadran

Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Cricketer) Biography

Afghan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman Zadran emerged as a teenage international sensation. A right-arm off break bowler known for his variations, Mujeeb has,

Early life and background

Mujeeb Ur Rahman Zadran was born on 28 March 2001 in Khost, Afghanistan, and grew up in the same hometown. He developed an interest in cricket at a very young age, playing informally with family and friends on his family's land. His father died when Mujeeb was an infant, and he was later mentored in the game by his uncle Noor Ali Zadran, a former Afghanistan international.

As a child he experimented with bowling using a tennis ball and practised different variations. Without a specialist spin coach available, he studied footage of established spinners and adapted elements of their actions into his own repertoire. That early self-directed work helped him develop a range of deliveries, including a carrom ball and a googly, which would become central to his bowling identity.

Career

Mujeeb rose quickly through Afghanistan’s youth and domestic ranks. He featured for Khost age-group sides and played for several regional and franchise teams across formats. Early domestic appearances included Speen Ghar Region, Boost Defenders and Kabul Kings, among others, and he took three wickets in his first List A outing for Speen Ghar Region in 2017.

He made an immediate impact at international level. Mujeeb earned his One Day International debut on 5 December 2017 against Ireland in Sharjah and picked up four wickets, a performance that earned him the Man of the Match award. He made his T20 debut for Afghanistan on 5 February 2018 against Zimbabwe and his Test debut on 14 June 2018 against India in Bengaluru.

Mujeeb has been contracted widely in franchise cricket. He has appeared in the Indian Premier League for Kings XI Punjab (later Punjab Kings) from 2018 and was later with SunRisers Hyderabad in 2021 and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. His auction moves have included a high-profile IPL purchase by Kings XI Punjab in 2018 and subsequent signings at different base prices in later auctions. Beyond the IPL, his franchise career spans teams in the Big Bash League, Bangladesh Premier League, Caribbean Premier League, Pakistan Super League, England county cricket, The Hundred, Lanka Premier League, Abu Dhabi T10 and other T20 competitions.

On the international stage, Mujeeb set several notable records at a young age. He became the youngest player to take five wickets in an ODI when he claimed 5 for 50 at 16 years and 325 days. He was the first male cricketer born in the 21st century to play international cricket and was the youngest player to feature in his country’s inaugural Test match. He also holds notable lower-order partnerships for Afghanistan in both ODI and Test formats and has recorded key wicket hauls in T20 World Cups, including a five-wicket haul on his T20 World Cup debut in 2021.

Mujeeb has represented Afghanistan at multiple ICC events. He played in the 2019 ODI World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup where he took seven wickets in three matches, and subsequent World Cups, contributing with both wickets and occasional useful runs. He registered his first ODI half-century, a score of 64, against Pakistan in Colombo on 26 August 2023.

Public profile

Mujeeb bowls right-arm off break, bats right-handed, and is known for a preference for the googly among his variations. His listed height is 5 feet 11.5 inches (182 cm), with hazel brown eyes and black hair. He studied at Kabul University and speaks Pashto; his coach has acted as an interpreter into English at times.

He comes from a cricketing family network: Noor Ali Zadran is his uncle and a former Afghanistan player, and fellow Afghanistan international Ibrahim Zadran is a cousin. He married on 13 November 2020 and his spouse is described as a homemaker.

Mujeeb’s profile rose further through franchise exposure and international performances. He was named the rising star of Afghanistan’s squad after the 2019 ODI World Cup. Off the field, he enjoys travel and outdoor camping, prefers non-vegetarian food with chicken biryani and fish among favourites, and lists Rashid Khan as his preferred cricketer.

Latest updates

In December 2023 Mujeeb was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders at his listed base price for the 2024 IPL auction. In January 2024 the Afghanistan Cricket Board cancelled his No-Objection Certificate to play in overseas franchise leagues after he declined to sign a central contract; the board announced a two-year period of ineligibility for future NOCs.

He remains one of Afghanistan’s most-capped and widely contracted players, known for early breakthroughs, a compact set of variations, and a career that has spanned international white-ball and red-ball cricket as well as global franchise competitions.
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Recent Work

Kolkata Knight Riders (IPL)

Acquired by KKR at base price for the 2024 Indian Premier League auction

2024
First ODI fifty

Scored 64 against Pakistan at Colombo's R. Premadasa International Stadium

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Youngest player to take five wickets in an ODI (5 for 50 at 16 years, 325 days)
  2. First male cricketer born in the 21st century to play international cricket
  3. Youngest player to feature in his country’s inaugural Test match
  4. Five-wicket haul on T20 World Cup debut (5 for 20 vs Scotland, 2021)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Cricketer) born?

28 March 2001

What is Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Cricketer) known for?

Cricketer (Bowler)

What is Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Cricketer)’s marital status?

Married

Who is Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Cricketer) married to?

Homemaker