Shapoor Zadran's brother thanks blood donors, seeks prayers for cricketer battling rare immune disorder
Synopsis
Shapoor Zadran, the former Afghanistan pace bowler, fights stage four HLH in a New Delhi ICU as his brother publicly thanks donors and the Afghan-Indian communities rallying behind him. With bone marrow already damaged and transfusions ongoing, the appeal for prayers signals the gravity of his condition—a sobering reminder of cricket's human stakes beyond the boundary.
Key Takeaways
Shapoor Zadran , former Afghanistan fast bowler, is hospitalised in New Delhi with stage four Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) .
He played 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is for Afghanistan between 2009 and 2020 .
Admitted to hospital on 18 January ; bone marrow test in late March confirmed stage four HLH diagnosis.
Brother Ghamai Zadran thanked blood donors and appealed for continued prayers on Friday .
Cricketers Rashid Khan , Mohammad Nabi , Asghar Afghan , and Gulbadin Naib have visited him during treatment.
Ghamai Zadran, brother of former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, has publicly expressed gratitude to blood donors and supporters rallying behind the cricketer as he battles stage four Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in a New Delhi hospital. In a statement posted on Friday, Ghamai appealed for continued prayers and flagged the possibility of future urgent blood platelet requirements.
Shapoor's medical condition
Shapoor Zadran, who represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020, is currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) battling HLH—a life-threatening condition characterised by hyper-inflammation and progressive tissue damage affecting the bone marrow, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. A bone marrow test conducted in late March confirmed the stage four diagnosis.
Timeline of hospitalisation and support
Shapoor first fell unwell in October of last year and was subsequently advised to seek treatment in India. With backing from Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chairman Mirwais Ashraf and cricketer Rashid Khan, his visa was fast-tracked, and he was admitted to a New Delhi hospital on 18 January. Since his hospitalisation, several prominent Afghanistan cricketers—including Mohammad Nabi, Asghar Afghan, Gulbadin Naib, and AM Ghazanfar—have visited him to offer support.
Blood donation campaign and community response
Following an earlier appeal for A-positive blood donors, a donation drive was organised this week to assist in Shapoor's treatment. In his statement, Ghamai specifically thanked the Afghan and Indian communities who participated. He wrote:
Point of View
The reliance on public blood drives and peer networks—rather than institutionalised player welfare schemes—exposes a structural weakness. That Rashid Khan and the ACB chairman had to personally intervene to fast-track a visa speaks to the absence of a formalised international cricket welfare protocol. The cricket world's capacity to mobilise for a player in need is admirable; its failure to anticipate and prevent such crises is not.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and why is it life-threatening?
HLH is a rare immune disorder characterised by hyper-inflammation and progressive tissue damage. Stage four HLH, Shapoor Zadran's diagnosis, affects the bone marrow, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, making it a life-threatening condition requiring intensive medical intervention and transfusions.
When was Shapoor Zadran admitted to hospital and what triggered his treatment in India?
Shapoor fell unwell in October of last year and was advised to seek treatment in India. He was admitted to a New Delhi hospital on 18 January after his visa was fast-tracked with support from Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Mirwais Ashraf and cricketer Rashid Khan.
How many international matches did Shapoor Zadran play for Afghanistan?
Shapoor Zadran represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020, establishing himself as a key pace bowler for the national team during that period.
What did Ghamai Zadran's statement ask for?
In his Friday statement, Ghamai Zadran thanked blood donors and supporters who participated in a donation campaign, and appealed for continued prayers. He also flagged the possibility of future urgent blood platelet requirements and requested the community remain on standby.
