Zadran, a former pace bowler, is being treated for HLH, a rare immune system disease, at a hospital in India.
Former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran is fighting for his life in a New Delhi hospital, undergoing treatment for a rare and life-threatening immune system disease, according to media reports.
Zadran, who was admitted to a hospital in India’s capital in January, is suffering from a progressive form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and is in the intensive care unit (ICU), ESPNcricinfo reported on Monday.
“It was a very serious infection,” Zadran’s brother Gamai Zadran told ESPNcricinfo. “His whole body was riddled with infections, including tuberculosis. The infection had also spread to his brain, which was discovered after an MRI and CT scan.”
Gamai said Zadran began to respond to treatment and was discharged from the hospital a few weeks later, and the group moved to a nearby hotel.
“The doctor said I can come in frequently for tests,” Gamai said. “He (Zadran) felt well for about 20 days before becoming infected again. Then we (re)admitted him to the hospital.”
According to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, HLH is a rare, life-threatening immunomodulatory disease with a high mortality rate that typically occurs in infants and young children.
In adults, a variety of conditions can cause HLH, including infections and cancer. Although the incidence is increasing, it remains underdiagnosed.
Zadran, 38, a left-arm fast bowler for Afghanistan, first fell ill in his home country in October and was referred to a hospital in India for further treatment. He arrived in the country with his wife, former Afghan captain Asghar Afghanistan.
He was discharged from the hospital after initial treatment, but his symptoms returned and worsened over time, so he had to be readmitted to the hospital, his brother said.
HLH weakens the body’s immune system, causing certain white blood cells (histiocytes and lymphocytes) to attack other blood cells and stop functioning properly, causing enlargement of the spleen and liver.
Zadran played 43 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 37 T20 Internationals (T20Is) for Afghanistan between 2009 and 2020. He was part of the Afghanistan team in its formative years, when the war-torn country established itself as one of the leading associate members of the International Cricket Council.
The blistering pacer was part of the Afghanistan squad when Afghanistan made its first appearance in the ODI Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2015. He shone with the ball, taking 10 wickets in six matches.
Although Afghanistan achieved Test status in 2017, Zadran had never played in his country’s longest and most prestigious format of the game.
During his 11-year career, Zadran was known for his towering, broad frame, long hair, and aggressive bowling style. He erupted in jubilation every time a batsman was dismissed and became popular among Afghan cricket supporters for his on-field attitude and performance.
The Afghan-born player began playing cricket in Peshawar, Pakistan, where he lived as a refugee for many years before returning to his home country in the early 2000s.
Social media posts showed Afghanistan cricketer and T20I captain Rashid Khan at Zadran’s bedside during a visit to the hospital earlier this month.
Following the news of Zadran’s illness, several international cricket stars expressed their outpouring of support and warm wishes.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said he was “truly saddened” to hear about his former nemesis’ condition.
“You have always been a fighter on the field and I know you will fight this time too,” Afridi wrote to X.
