Former Afghan Cricketer Shapoor Zadran in Critical Condition

Former Afghanistan left-arm pacer Shapoor Zadran is in critical condition in the intensive care unit of a hospital in New Delhi, battling stage four hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a rare and severe immune disorder that triggers extreme inflammation and damages vital organs.

The 38-year-old cricketer, who represented Afghanistan in 80 international matches between 2009 and 2020, including 44 one-day internationals and 36 Twenty20 internationals, first fell ill in October 2023. According to his younger brother, Ghamai Zadran, initial medical advice in Afghanistan led to his travel to India for advanced care. Zadran's Indian visa was expedited with assistance from Afghanistan's cricket captain Rashid Khan and Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Mirwais Ashraf, who reached out to International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah and leveraged connections in India's franchise leagues. He arrived in New Delhi on January 18, accompanied by his wife and former teammate Asghar Afghan. Ghamai joined them from Canada shortly after.

Upon arrival, Zadran was hospitalized and received treatment for a severe infection that affected his entire body, including tuberculosis that had spread to...