Pakistan cricket has witnessed a turbulent time recently when former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja was removed from the top role. The team also had the coaches getting changed and Babar Azam was also allegedly caught in a controversy of sexual abuse. Meanwhile, there is a fresh instance of another shocking revelation from one of its former players.
Former Pakistani cricketer Imran Nazir has now revealed that he was given poison during the peak time of his career and that he was fighting to not get bedridden. "When I got treated recently, including MRI and everything, a statement was issued that I was given poison - Mercury. It is a slow poison; it goes to your joint and damages them. For about 8-10 years, all my joints were treated. All my joints had gotten damaged and this is why I suffered for almost 6-7 years. But even at that time, I prayed to God, 'Please don't make me bedridden'. And thankfully, that never happened," Nazir said.
Nazir stated that he tried to understand what is happening to him but he could not figure it out due to the poison reacting slowly. "I used to walk around and people used to ask 'You're looking fine'. I doubted on a lot of people but what and when did I eat, I cannot figure it out. Because the poison doesn't react immediately. It kills you for years. I still never wished bad for whoever did this to me. The person saving is better than the one who wants to kill," he added.
Imran Nazir during T20 World Cup 2012
Nazir could play 8 Test matches and 79 ODIs for Pakistan between 1999 and 2012 in a year filled with comebacks. Nazir said that he spent his entire life savings on treatment and revealed Shahid Afridi helped him in need of the hour. "I have spent my complete life's savings on my treatment. At last, there was a final treatment, in which Shahid Afridi aided me a lot. He helped me in my time of need. I did not had anything left when I met Shahid bhai. Within a day, my doctor received the money in his account. He said 'No matter how much money is needed, my brother should get well'. He spent around 40-50 lakh on my treatment. I was happy to know that he had told his manager 'Don't even ask about him. Keep sending the money he needs'. The credit even goes to my doctor, who never tried to cheat me. He stuck to the amount that was required," added the former Pakistan opener.
