Former Afghanistan pacer Shapoor Zadran is battling for his life in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a New Delhi hospital, with his family making an urgent appeal for A-positive blood donors. The 30-year-old is undergoing treatment for Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and life-threatening immune disorder.
Zadran, who represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020, has been diagnosed with stage four HLH, a condition marked by severe hyperinflammation that can damage the bone marrow, liver, spleen and lymph nodes.
His younger brother, Ghamai Zadran, posted an appeal on Instagram, urging people to come forward. “My brother, national hero Shapoor Zadran, is currently in a concerning health condition. With your prayers, we stand by him. There is an urgent requirement for blood,” he wrote.
Zadran first reported illness in October last year and was advised to seek treatment in India. With support from Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan and Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Mirwais Ashraf, his visa was expedited and he was admitted to a Delhi hospital on January 18.
A bone marrow test in late March confirmed the diagnosis. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Ghamai said Zadran’s condition had briefly improved before deteriorating again. “He was feeling better for around 20 days, but then the infection returned and he had to be admitted again,” he said.
“He developed a fever and later tested positive for dengue. His immunity is very weak, and his red blood cell count has dropped significantly. He is low on strength, but we remain hopeful. The steroids given recently seem to be helping,” he added.
—IANS
