In a recent conversation between Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) doctor Najeebullah Soomro, the latter made a staggering revelation that the right-handed batter was given a prohibited substance during last year’s T20 World Cup which was hosted by India in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). During the tournament, Rizwan was suffering from a severe chest infection in the tournament and was even admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) before Pakistan's all-important semifinal clash against Australia.
Following this treatment, Rizwan not only recovered but went on to play a sizzling innings against the eventual champions in the knock-out game. He gave bowlers from Down Under a rough time, scoring 67 runs off 52 deliveries. However, his efforts went in vain as Australia walked away with a five-wicket triumph.
Soomro has now revealed that he had no options other than injecting that prohibited substance into Rizwan. He also had to take ICC’s permission for the same. “You were unable to breathe and I have to get permission from the ICC to inject that medicine to help you recover. Usually, it is prohibited for the athletes but since there was no other option available, we have to take permission from the ICC to inject that medicine,” he said during an interview with Rizwan.
A specialist Pulmonologist at Medeor Hospital, Saheer Sainalabdeen treated Rizwan and was astonished at the pace at which the wicketkeeper recovered. “Rizwan had a strong desire to play for his nation in the crucial knockout match. He was strong, determined, and confident. I am astonished at the pace he had recovered. His pain at the time of admission was 10/10. So, we subjected him for a detailed evaluation to diagnose the condition,” he stated.
Saheer further added that the infection Rizwan had usually takes around a week to get cured. Hence, he wasn’t expected to feature in the semifinal. “Esophageal spasms can feel like sudden and severe chest pain that lasts for a few minutes to hours. Rizwan had a severe infection. Recovery and gaining fitness before the semifinal seemed unrealistic. It would have normally taken 5-7 days for anybody to recover,” Saheer added.
