Henry Olonga issues apology days after false news of Heath Streak's demise

Former Zimbabwe all-rounder Heath Streak is battling stage 4 colon and liver cancer.

Just a few days ago, former Zimbabwean pacer Henry Olonga’s tweet sent sorrow around the cricketing world as he announced that his old friend, captain, and Zimbabwe’s legendary all-rounder Heath Streak is no more as he lost his battle with cancer at the age of 49. Several media houses and digital platforms quoted Olonga and announced Streak’s death. But in a surprising turn of events, Olonga deleted his old tweet and tweeted again after having a chat with Streak confirming that he is very much alive. Olonga had apologised after posting the rumoured death of his former teammate.

Henry Olonga apologises

On Saturday, Henry Olonga put out another post on Facebook to apologise and reveal that he first read the news of Heath Streak’s demise on Facebook, just like everyone else on social media. Olonga wrote, “In any case, I was informed that Heath had taken a turn for the worse. We were encouraged to write kind words for his eulogy. So it appeared imminent. I will not go into too much detail about how the miscommunication occurred, but rest assured, I heard the story first on Facebook like everyone else.” Olonga’s tweet went viral quickly and sent shockwaves around the cricketing world.

Henry Olonga further added in his Facebook post, “I did immediately text Heath and Nadine to verify. It was a while before they could respond, as it was late at night. I texted a few close cricket colleagues who knew that family really well, and they confirmed it was true. I did ask pointed questions to verify, but they were convinced. After all, I had only heard from Heath the day before, so it seemed kind of sudden. But I was truly devastated, as I genuinely believed he was gone. And with all the emotions I felt, I am sure those who encountered the story felt them too. Obviously, I am extremely sorry.” 

Former Zimbabwean all-rounder and captain of the team Heath Streak is currently 49 years old and battling stage 4 colon and liver cancer. Heath Streak, after the news of his death came out, revealed that he is doing better now and improving. Heath Streak had played 65 tests and 189 ODIs for Zimbabwe. He has taken 455 international wickets in his career. Known for his all-round ability, Streak also has 4933 runs on the international stage for his country. Streak announced his retirement from cricket in 2005 and ended his 12-year-long career for Zimbabwe.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.