In a heartbreaking turn of events, former Zimbabwe cricket team captain and renowned all-rounder, Heath Streak, has succumbed to advanced colon and liver cancer at the age of 49.
This devastating news was confirmed by his wife, Nadine Streak, in a heartfelt Facebook post on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023.
Nadine Streak’s emotional post read, “In the early hours of this morning, Sunday the 3rd of September 2023, the greatest love of my life and the father of my beautiful children, was carried to be with the angels from his home where he wished to spend his last days surrounded by his family and closest loved ones.
He was covered in love and peace and did not walk off the park alone. Our souls are joined for eternity Streaky. Till I hold you again.“
The official Zimbabwe Cricket Champions expressed their condolences, stating, “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and fans of former Zimbabwe Cricket Captain Heath Streak. His contributions to cricket will always be remembered, and he will be dearly missed. Rest in peace.”
Fellow former cricketer Henry Olonga also paid tribute, saying, “RIP Streaky.”
It’s worth noting that on August 24th, Olonga had prematurely announced Streak’s passing on a different platform before retracting his statement and sharing a message from Streak himself, debunking the false news.
Heath Streak’s battle with cancer began when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in May. Despite his diagnosis, he remained optimistic about his recovery, telling Sportstar that he was in “good health and recovering from cancer.” Expressing disappointment with the premature reports of his death, he emphasized the need for caution before spreading such rumors.
Heath Streak’s wonderful cricket journety
Heath Streak had a remarkable career in international cricket, making significant contributions to Zimbabwe’s cricketing history.
He represented Zimbabwe in 65 Tests, making him their second-most capped Test player, and 189 ODIs between 1993 and 2005. Streak was renowned as their leading bowler, with 216 Test wickets and 239 ODI wickets. He was also the only Zimbabwe bowler to take more than 100 Test wickets and over 200 ODI wickets. Additionally, Streak made his mark as their seventh-highest Test run-scorer, with 1990 runs, and one of 16 Zimbabwe batters to score more than 2000 ODI runs, finishing with 2943.
Streak’s cricketing journey began when he made his international debut as a 19-year-old in an abandoned match against South Africa during the 1993 Hero Cup, a five-team tournament played in India. He also received his Test cap that year, showcasing his talent with eight wickets in the next match against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Throughout his career, Streak had a particular affinity for playing against Pakistan, as he took 44 Test wickets against them, more than against any other team, including three of his seven five-fors.
However, his career was not without its share of challenges. In 2001, he resigned for the first time, citing the impact of leadership on his performance. Behind the scenes, political tensions in the country put Streak in a difficult position. In 2004, he resigned as captain for the second time after a clash with the board, which led to the walkout of 13 other white players from the national side.
In 2021, Streak faced a significant setback when he was banned for eight years after being charged with and admitting to five breaches of the ICC’s anti-corruption code, including accepting payment in bitcoins from a potential corruptor. Streak later clarified that he was not involved in any match-fixing attempts but acknowledged disclosing inside information pertaining to international matches.
At the time of his untimely passing, Heath Streak was still serving his ban, leaving behind a legacy in Zimbabwean cricket that will be remembered for generations to come.
