Former Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak is currently engaged in a battle against cancer and is undergoing treatment with a renowned oncologist in South Africa, as revealed in a statement released by his family on Saturday.
The statement conveyed that despite the challenging circumstances, Heath remains in high spirits and is determined to confront the disease with the same tenacity he displayed on the cricket field. The family expressed their desire for privacy regarding the matter and extended gratitude for the prayers and well wishes received.
The family further clarified that no additional official updates regarding Streak’s health will be provided at this time, cautioning that any information made public should be treated as speculation. This statement came in response to earlier media reports suggesting Streak’s critical condition and imminent demise.
Earlier, David Coltart, former Minister for Education, Arts, and Culture, had initially shared a health update on Streak through his Twitter account. Additionally, sports journalist Mike Madoda had tweeted that Streak’s survival now relied on a miracle.
Heath Streak made his debut for Zimbabwe on November 10, 1993, against South Africa. Throughout his career, he participated in 189 ODIs and 65 Test matches for his country. In Test cricket, he scored 1990 runs at an average of 22.35 and took 216 wickets at an average of 28.14. In white-ball cricket, Streak accumulated 2,943 runs and claimed 239 wickets.
However, in 2021, Streak faced expulsion from the sport due to his violation of the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption guidelines.
