Who is Shapoor Zadran? Former Afghan fast-bowler dies at 38 after battle against rare immune system disorder
Shapoor Zadran, the pioneering Afghan fast bowler, has died at the age of 38 following a prolonged battle with a rare immune system disorder
Former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran, a pioneering fast bowler who played a significant role in Afghanistan's rise in international cricket, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 38 due to a rare immune system disorder, Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Zadran, who represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020 and played in four T20 World Cups, had been undergoing treatment in a New Delhi hospital since January for the advanced stage of HLH, a condition that causes the immune system to fail, after falling ill in late 2025 and initially showing improvement before his condition deteriorated. The Afghanistan Cricket Board honored Zadran's legacy, highlighting his contributions, courage, and role as an inspiration to young cricketers and fans worldwide.
Former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran, a pioneering fast bowler who played a significant role in Afghanistan's rise in international cricket, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 38 due to a rare immune system disorder, Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Zadran, who represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020 and played in four T20 World Cups, had been undergoing treatment in a New Delhi hospital since January for the advanced stage of HLH, a condition that causes the immune system to fail, after falling ill in late 2025 and initially showing improvement before his condition deteriorated. The Afghanistan Cricket Board honored Zadran's legacy, highlighting his contributions, courage, and role as an inspiration to young cricketers and fans worldwide.
Former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran, a pioneering fast bowler who played a significant role in Afghanistan's rise in international cricket, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 38 due to a rare immune system disorder, Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Zadran, who represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020 and played in four T20 World Cups, had been undergoing treatment in a New Delhi hospital since January for the advanced stage of HLH, a condition that causes the immune system to fail, after falling ill in late 2025 and initially showing improvement before his condition deteriorated. The Afghanistan Cricket Board honored Zadran's legacy, highlighting his contributions, courage, and role as an inspiration to young cricketers and fans worldwide.
Former Afghan Cricketer Shapoor Zadran died on Tuesday at the age of 38 after battling a prolonged illness.
He died short of a day before his 39th birthday while undergoing treatment for a rare immune system disorder at a New Delhi hospital.
The news was confirmed by his younger brother Ghamai Zadran, who travelled with him to Delhi for the treatment, which began in January.
Shapoor was suffering from an advanced stage of Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). The rare disease causes the immune system to start failing.
He fell ill in late 2025 and travelled to India on the advice of Afghan doctors.
His condition had improved at one point before it deteriorated again to the point of hospitalisation a few weeks later.
Zadran had developed a high fever and was positive for dengue, and his red blood cell count dropped sharply. Further testing showed that he was at stage four of HLH.
Who was Shapoor Zadran?
Shapoor Zadran was one of the most popular Afghan cricketers, known as a pioneering fast bowler and for playing a role in the team’s rise in international cricket.
He played for Afghanistan in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) and other international competitions. He also helped the team qualify for major global tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
He played 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020, and represented the country in 80 internationals across formats. He also played in four T20 World Cups from 2010 to 2016, taking nine wickets in nine matches.
Shapoor was born in Longar province in Afghanistan and moved to Peshawar in Pakistan when the war broke out. He made his debut in an ODI against the Netherlands in August 2009 and made his T20 debut the following year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board paid tribute to Zadran on social media, writing, “Throughout his career, Shapoor served Afghanistan cricket with honour, courage, and pride. His contributions and achievements will always remain an important part of the history of Afghanistan cricket, and his efforts in the service of the national team will never be forgotten.
“Beyond his achievements on the field, Shapoor Zadran was a true source of inspiration for many young Afghan cricketers and for cricket followers across the world. His fighting spirit, determination, and love for the game gave hope to many and encouraged a generation to dream bigger and believe in the future of Afghanistan cricket.”