Former Zimbabwean cricket legend, Heath Streak, aged 49, tragically passed away on a Sunday morning.
This news comes after a couple of weeks of confusion on social media, during which false reports of his death circulated. Notably, his former teammate, Henry Olonga, had to issue an apology for inadvertently sharing the unverified news.
However, the sad news was confirmed on Sunday morning when Heath Streak's wife announced his demise via a heartfelt post on Facebook.
MORE: Bet on Asia Cup 2023 and other cricket matches from India
Nadine Streak, wife of Heath Streak, wrote,
“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.”
Streak spent his last days at his Enthokozweni farm in Inyathi, Matabeleland North.
His father, Denis Streak, also confirmed the news.
“Heath had not been well for a while, for almost six months he was battling cancer. He died in the early hours at 1 AM,” Denis Streak was quoted as saying by Sunday News.
MORE: Would India have won against Pakistan? Shaheen Afridi makes tall claim
He is fondly remembered for his stellar record with both bat and ball for Zimbabwe in the late 1990s and early 2000s, An effusive cricketer, his wicket celebrations sometimes grabbed as much attention as the wickets themselves.
After retiring from international cricket in 2005, Streak had coaching stints with the Zimbabwean national team, as well as IPL sides Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders.
What is Heath Streak's bowling record in ODI & Test cricket?
Streak holds the distinction of being Zimbabwe's most prolific wicket-taker in both Test and one-day international (ODI) cricket.
In Test cricket, he claimed an impressive 216 wickets, a remarkable achievement as he remains the sole Zimbabwean cricketer to surpass the 100-wicket mark.
In ODI cricket, Streak boasts of having 237 wickets, a tally that places him significantly ahead of his peers, with over 100 wickets more than any other Zimbabwean.
Beyond his contributions as a bowler, Heath Streak also left a mark with the bat. He remains ranked seventh on Zimbabwe's list of Test run-scorers, having accumulated 1,990 runs during his cricketing career.
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 65 | 102 | 13559 | 6079 | 216 | 6/73 | 9/72 | 28.14 | 2.69 | 62.7 | 16 | 7 | 0 |
| ODI | 189 | 185 | 9468 | 7129 | 239 | 5/32 | 5/32 | 29.82 | 4.51 | 39.6 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
What is Heath Streak's batting record in ODI & Test cricket?
Beyond his contributions as a bowler, Heath Streak also left a mark with the bat. He remains ranked seventh on Zimbabwe's list of Test run-scorers, having accumulated 1,990 runs during his cricketing career. Whereas in ODI, he has close to 3000 runs.
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 65 | 107 | 18 | 1990 | 127* | 22.35 | 5369 | 37.06 | 1 | 11 | 212 | 12 | 17 | 0 |
| ODI | 189 | 159 | 55 | 2943 | 79* | 28.29 | 4008 | 73.42 | 0 | 13 | 203 | 48 | 46 | 0 |
