Former Afghan Cricketer Shapur Zadran in ICU with Rare Illness

April 20, 2026

New Delhi, April 20: Former Afghan fast bowler Shapur Zadran is currently in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital in New Delhi. He is battling a rare and life-threatening immune disorder known as Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).

Zadran, who played 44 One Day Internationals and 36 T20 matches for Afghanistan from 2009 to 2020, is suffering from stage-4 HLH. This condition leads to severe inflammation, causing damage to various body tissues, including the bone marrow, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes.

His younger brother, Gamai Zadran, revealed that Shapur first fell ill in October last year, prompting advice for treatment in India. With support from Rashid Khan and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chairman Mirwais Ashraf, Shapur’s visa was expedited, and he was admitted to a New Delhi hospital on January 18.

According to ‘ESPNcricinfo’, Gamai stated, “It was a very serious infection. His entire body was infected, including tuberculosis. It even spread to his brain, which was confirmed through MRI and CT scans.”

Mirwais Ashraf had discussions with ICC chairman Jay Shah regarding Shapur’s situation. Meanwhile, Rashid reached out to his contacts in the franchise circuit, including the Gujarat Titans. During Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup match in New Delhi earlier this year, Rashid also visited Shapur.

AM Gajanfar, a spinner playing for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026, met Shapur a day before the match against Delhi Capitals at Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 3.

Former captain Asghar Afghan has been frequently traveling between Dubai and Delhi to assist Shapur, while Rashid Khan and other Afghan players remain in contact with doctors and family. Despite initial improvements, Shapur’s condition worsened due to a secondary infection, dengue, and severe anemia. A bone marrow test at the end of March confirmed stage-four HLH.

Gamai Zadran mentioned, “The doctor advised us to continue regular check-ups. He felt better for about 20 days, but then a secondary infection occurred, requiring another hospital admission. He developed a fever and tested positive for dengue. His immune system is very weak due to a significant drop in red blood cell count. He lacks strength. We hope he improves daily. Recently administered steroids seem to be effective, giving us new hope.”