City
Epaper

Urgent appeal for A-positive blood as Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran fights a rare disease

By IANS | Updated: April 29, 2026 18:45 IST

New Delhi, April 29 Former Afghanistan pacer Shapoor Zadran, who is fighting for his life at a hospital ...

Open in App

New Delhi, April 29 Former Afghanistan pacer Shapoor Zadran, who is fighting for his life at a hospital in New Delhi is in urgent need of blood and Zadran's family has appealed A-positive blood donors to help the 30-year-old as he battles a rare with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and life-threatening immune disorder.

Zadran, who played 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is for Afghanistan from 2009 to 2020, is currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) with stage four HLH. Under this condition, a person suffers from hyper-inflammation, which leads to damage in tissues, including the bone marrow, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes.

Zadran's younger brother, Ghamai Zadran, shared an emotional message on Instagram appealing to everyone to help the former player and donate the required blood, which will assist in recovery.

“My brother, national hero Shapoor Zadran, is currently in a concerning health condition,” Ghamai wrote. “With your prayers, we stand by our national hero. Due to a deficiency and urgent need, he is in critical need of blood”.

Shapoor first felt unwell in October last year and was advised to seek treatment in India. With support from Rashid Khan and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chairman Mirwais Ashraf, Shapoor’s visa was fast-tracked, and he was admitted to the hospital in New Delhi on January 18.

A bone marrow test in late March confirmed stage four HLH for Shapoor. "The doctor said we could drop in for the check-ups frequently. He (Shapoor) was feeling good for about 20 days before he got the infection again. Then we admitted him to the hospital," Ghamai told ESPNcricinfo.

"He started getting a fever, and then he tested positive for dengue. His immunity was very weak as the red blood cell count was severely depleted. He doesn't have much vitality. We have hope that he will improve day by day. The steroids Shapoor has been given recently seem to be working, and that has given us hope," added Ghamai.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Open in App

Related Stories

BusinessAmquest Education Offers 50% Off on CFA and Investment Banking Courses: Breaking Barriers in Finance Education

Cricket"We have an attack that can exploit different surfaces," Andy Flower ahead of crucial tie against GT

NationalDelhi High Court to pronounce order tomorrow on interim pleas in Sunjay Kapur estate dispute

InternationalUS flags Chinese restrictions on access to Tibetan region

EntertainmentRanveer Singh starrer 'Pralay' remains on track, zombie drama to go on floor this August

Other Sports Realted Stories

Other SportsIPL 2026: We have an attack that can exploit different surfaces, says Andy Flower ahead of crucial tie against GT

Other SportsGlasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games prize medal revealed

Other SportsTUC 2026: Indian men finish second in Group A after losing to defending champions China

Other SportsThomas & Uber Cup 2026: Indian men finish second in Group A after losing to holders China

Other SportsIndia squad for 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup to be named on Saturday evening