There is no denying the fact that Pakistan has always been full of surprises and the latest addition being former opener Imran Nazir, who played a brilliant knock against India in the World T20 2007 final revealed that he was poisoned at the peak of his career and it was Shahid Afridi, who supported him like a rock, helping him with money for his treatment when he had nothing left in the bank.
During a chat on Nadir Ali podcast, Imran Nazir said, “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 got 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.”
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He further added, “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.”
Nazir had to go through a long and painstaking process of treatment. The treatment cost around PKR 12-15 lakh. The opening batter had ended up exhausting all his savings and when the time came for final treatment, he had nothing left. That’s when Afridi arrived with help.
Nazir, who played for Pakistan in 8 Tests and 79 ODIs between 1999 and 2012, had first disclosed about the illness last May
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Explaining the same, Imran Nazir said, “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.”
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Afridi had directed his manager to send as much money as was required, Imran Nazir revealed. The former opener thanked his doctor for sticking to the amount that was required. Nazir had played a blistering 14-ball 33 in the World T20 Final in 2007 before being run out. India went on to win the match by five runs. Nazir played eight Tests, 79 ODIs and 25 T20Is between 1999 and 2012.
