Former Zimbabwe Skipper Heath Streak rubbished the rumours regarding his death news, which was widespread on Wednesday morning. Many former cricketers and present-day cricketers expressed their condolences to his family without confirming the news.
Heath Streak has been diagnosed with stage-four colon and liver cancer. He is the all-time leading wicket-taker for Zimbabwe in Test Cricket with 216 wickets and in ODI Cricket with 239 wickets in International Cricket and was part of the golden era of Zimbabwe cricket between 1997 and 2002 and played a pivotal victory in their famous victory in International Cricket
According to the reports in Midday, Heath Streak has denied the rumour regarding his health issues and was upset with the news of his death emerging without a proper source and said that he is deeply hurt by the incident and wants an apology from the source, who spread the false news.
“It is a total rumour and a lie. I’m alive and well. I am very upset to learn that something as big as someone apparently passing can be spread unverified, especially in our day and age of social media,” Heath Streak said.
“I believe the source should apologise. I am hurt by the news,” Heath Streak said as quoted in the mid-day.
Former Zimbabwe cricketer Henry Olonga has confirmed the news regarding Heath Streak’s health at the moment and said that he is alive at the moment.
“I can confirm that rumours of the demise of Heath Streak have been greatly exaggerated. I just heard from him. The third umpire has called him back. He is very much alive folks,” Henry Olonga stated.
Heath Streak holds numerous records under his name in World Cricket as he is the first and only Zimbabwean bowler to have taken over 100 Test wickets and one of only four Zimbabwean bowlers to have taken over 100 ODI wickets.
He is the first and only Zimbabwean to have completed the double of 1000 career runs and 100 wickets in test cricket as well as the first and only Zimbabwean to have completed the double of 2000 runs and 200 wickets in ODIs
Streak is regarded as one of the best cricketers to have played for Zimbabwe. The 49-year-old took up coaching after retirement and also had stints with Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders.