‘I was poisoned…Shahid Afridi bhai helped’ – Former Pakistan opener drops bombshell

Shahid Afridi, who stood by Imran Nazir like a rock and helped him with money for his treatment when he had nothing left in the bank, has revealed that Imran Nazir was poisoned at the height of his career. Indians will remember Imran Nazir for giving their team a serious scare in the final of the first 20-20 World Cup in 2007.

“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,” Imran Nazir said on the Nadir Ali podcast.

‘I had nothing left when I met Shahid bhai; he helped’ – Imran Nazir 

“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.

Imran Nazir had to endure a long and arduous course of treatment. About 12 to 15 lakh PKR were spent on the procedure. When the time came for the final treatment, Nazir had spent all his savings and had nothing left. Afridi then showed up to assist.

“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,” Nazir said.

According to Nazir, Shahid Afridi had instructed his manager to transfer the necessary amount of cash. The former opener thanked his doctor for administering only the prescribed dosage. Afridi is well-recognised for participating in charitable activities. He also manages his own foundation, the Shahid Afridi Foundation, to establish healthcare and education facilities.