I Was Given Poison: Former Pakistan Cricketer Imran Nazir Makes Shocking Revelation

Zee News

Imran Nazir, a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 8 Tests and 79 ODIs between 1999 and 2012, has shared a shocking account of being poisoned during the height of his career. While he first revealed the details of the incident in May 2022, he has now divulged more information.

Relive _
Imran Nazir's masterclass in the 2007 ODI World Cup, 12 years ago at Jamaica against Zimbabwe!

Nazir smashed 160 off 121, in an inning comprising 14 fours and 8 sixes!pic.twitter.com/u0Rr0Uja9x#OnThisDay #OTD #ImranNazir #ODIWorldCup

— OneCricket (@OneCricketApp) March 21, 2023

"When I recently got treated, including MRI and all, a statement was issued that I was given poison - Mercury. It is a slow poison; it reaches your joint and damages them. For 8-10 years, all my joints were treated. All my joints had gotten damaged and for this reason, I suffered for almost 6-7 years. But even then, I prayed to God, 'Please don't make me bedridden'. And thankfully, that never happened," Nazir said on the Nadir Ali podcast.

Nazir disclosed that he was poisoned with Mercury, a slow-acting poison that can damage joints. For 8-10 years, he received treatment for all of his joints and had to exhaust all his life savings, which were estimated to be PKR 12-15 crore. The right-handed batsman expressed his gratitude for the support he received from former Pakistani captain, Shahid Afridi, who stood by him during his difficult time.

"I used to walk around and all when people used to ask 'You're looking fine'. I doubted a lot of people but when and what did I eat, I cannot figure out. Because the poison doesn't react instantly. It kills you for years. I still never wished bad for whoever did this. The person saving is better than the one who wants to kill," he added.

Despite enduring immense suffering, Nazir stated that he never wished ill on the person responsible for his poisoning. He believed that whoever saved him was better than the one who wanted to harm him. Since representing the Kerala Knights in the T10 League in 2018, where he played alongside players such as Chris Gayle, Eoin Morgan, and Jonny Bairstow, the 41-year-old has not played cricket in any form.

"I have spent my entire life's saving on my treatment. In the end, there was a final treatment, in which Shahid Afridi helped me a lot. He helped me in my time of need. I had nothing 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. I was happy that he had told his manager 'Don't even ask about him. Keep sending how much money he needs'. The credit even goes to my doctor that he never tried to cheat me. He stuck to the amount that was required," added the former Pakistan opener.