Former Afghanistan Pacer Shapoor Zadran Battles Critical Illness in Delhi Hospital

New Delhi, April 2026 : Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran is in critical condition at a hospital in New Delhi after being diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and life-threatening immune disorder. The 37-year-old cricketer is currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) with stage four of the disease.

Zadran, who represented Afghanistan in 44 One Day Internationals and 36 T20 Internationals between 2009 and 2020, is suffering from severe hyper-inflammation caused by HLH. The condition can lead to widespread tissue damage, affecting vital organs such as the bone marrow, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes.

According to his younger brother, Ghamai Zadran, who is based in Canada, Shapoor first began experiencing health issues in October last year. Following medical advice, he travelled to India for advanced treatment. His visa process was expedited with the help of Rashid Khan and Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Mirwais Ashraf, enabling his admission to a Delhi hospital on January 18.

Ghamai revealed that Shapoor was battling a severe infection that had spread throughout his body, including tuberculosis, which later affected his brain. Diagnostic scans such as MRI and CT confirmed the extent of the complications, making his condition extremely critical.

Support for the ailing cricketer has come from across the cricketing community. Ashraf reportedly raised the issue with International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah, while Rashid Khan reached out to his contacts in franchise cricket, including the Gujarat Titans, to explore possible assistance. Rashid also visited Zadran during Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup match in New Delhi earlier this year.

Other players have also shown solidarity. Afghanistan spinner AM Ghazanfar, currently playing for the Mumbai Indians, visited Zadran earlier this month. Former Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan has been travelling frequently between Dubai and Delhi to support the family and coordinate with doctors.

Despite showing signs of improvement initially, Zadran’s condition deteriorated due to recurring infections, including dengue, and a sharp decline in red blood cell count, which weakened his immune system further. A bone marrow test conducted in late March confirmed that he had progressed to stage four HLH.

Ghamai said that while Shapoor had shown encouraging recovery for a brief period, his health worsened after contracting another infection. However, there is still hope, as recent steroid treatment appears to be showing some positive response.

“He doesn’t have much strength, but we are hopeful. The doctors are doing everything they can, and the latest treatment is giving us some optimism,” he said.

Zadran’s condition remains critical, with doctors closely monitoring his progress. The cricketing fraternity continues to rally around him, hoping for his recovery from this serious illness.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)