Legendary Zimbabwean cricketer Heath Streak has died at the age of 49 following a valiant fight with cancer, according to his former teammates.
From 2000 to 2004, Streak, regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s best cricket players, served as the nation’s leader. Over the course of his 12-year career, he participated in 65 Test matches and 189 ODIs, at times carrying the weight of Zimbabwe’s cricket reputation all by himself. He is still the only Zimbabwean cricketer to reach 100 wickets in a Test match.
Henry Olonga, Streak’s former bowling partner, took to social media to express his sorrow. “Sad news coming through that Heath Streak has crossed to the other side,” Olonga posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), eulogizing his comrade-in-arms as the “greatest all-rounder” Zimbabwe produced.
Further about Former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak and his career
Although Streak’s main strength was his bowling ability, he was also a formidable batsman. He amassed 1990 Test runs and 2943 ODI runs throughout his career thanks to his middle-order batting skills. His lone Test century was against the West Indies in Harare, where he hit 127 not out.
When Streak debuted against Pakistan in 1993, he quickly made a name for himself by collecting eight wickets in his second Test match in Rawalpindi. After his two-year contract as Warwickshire captain ended prematurely in 2006 due to form problems, he decided to retire in 2005. His time playing international cricket came to an end when he signed up with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007.
After retiring, Streak continued to be involved in cricket, accepting coaching positions with the Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Scotland. When he received an eight-year suspension from the ICC for violating anti-corruption laws, it severely damaged his career. Despite this setback, Streak will always be remembered as a captain and cricket player, and the cricket community is incredibly saddened by his passing.
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