New Delhi [India], April 20 (ANI): Former Afghanistan left-arm fast bowler Shapoor Zadran is battling for his life in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in New Delhi, according to ESPNcricinfo. Shapoor is suffering from Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a life-threatening disease, in which the immune system starts failing.

Shapoor has been receiving treatment since January for an advanced stage of the HLH.

Shapoor Zadran, who represented Afghanistan in 80 international matches (44 ODIs and 36 T20Is) between 2009 and 2020, first began feeling unwell last October, according to his younger brother, Ghamai Zadran. Doctors in Afghanistan later advised him to travel to India for further treatment.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Ghamai revealed that Shapoor was able to get his Indian visa expedited after Afghanistan's T20I team captain, Rashid Khan, and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chairman Mirwais Ashraf stepped in to help through their contacts in India.

Ashraf reached out to the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah, while Rashid contacted his connections in the franchise circuit, including his association with the Gujarat Titans and teams owned by the Mumbai Indians in other leagues. Shapoor arrived in India on January 18 and was subsequently admitted to a hospital.

Ghamai said that Shapoor was suffering from a severe, widespread infection that affected his entire body, including Tuberculosis, and had also spread to his brain, as confirmed by MRI and CT scans.

'It was a very serious infection. His whole body was full of the infection including TB (tuberculosis). It also spread to his brain, which was revealed after MRI and CT scan,' Ghamai said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Ghamai said that Shapoor initially showed improvement for about 20 days, but his condition worsened again due to a recurring infection, which led to him being hospitalised again.

'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 [again],' Ghamai said.

Shapoor was discharged again after around 20 days, but soon developed a stomach problem. Ghamai took him back to the hospital, where his condition deteriorated even further.

'He started getting a fever and then he tested positive for dengue. His immunity was very weak as the red blood cell count depleted severely,' Ghamai said.

It was around March 26 that Shapoor underwent a bone-marrow test, which revealed he was in Stage Four of HLH.Ghamai said that Shapoor is currently very weak, but there is optimism as recent steroid treatment appears to be helping, giving the family hope for gradual improvement.

'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,' Ghamai said. (ANI)