Day after complaining of chest pain, Pakistan batter Abid Ali undergoes angioplasty
Pakistan batter Abid Ali underwent an angioplasty on Wednesday, a day after he complained of chest pain during a match in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
On Tuesday, Abid was representing Central Punjab in a game against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Karachi. He was batting on 61 when he left the field. The cricketer was diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome or ACS.
ACS is a term used to describe a range of conditions associated with sudden, reduced blood flow to the heart. During the angioplasty surgery, a stent was placed in Abid's blocked coronary artery. Before the procedure, the cricketer had requested fans to pray for his speedy recovery.
Cricket Pakistan quoted Abid as saying:
"I am thankful to God as I am faring well. I request all of you to pray for me as I have a small medical procedure tomorrow. So I request all my family members, fans and all my well-wishers to pray for me."
The Pakistan batter is in under observation in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Karachi. A statement from PCB read:
"He was taken immediately to a cardiac hospital where he was diagnosed as a case of acute coronary syndrome. He is under the care of the consultant cardiologist who is liaising with the PCB medical team regarding further treatment.”
The PCB statement added about Abid’s condition:
"He is under the care of Consultant Cardiologist who is liaising with PCB medical team regarding further treatment. He is currently stable. It is requested to respect his and the family’s privacy at this time. More details will be provided in due course.”
Abid Ali’s impressive batting form
34-year-old Abid was the Player of the Series in the recently concluded Test series against Bangladesh, which Pakistan won 2-0. He scored 263 runs at an average of 87.66. In 2021, Abid scored 695 runs in nine Tests at an average of 49.64.
Overall, Abid has 1180 runs from 16 Tests at an average of 49.16. He has four hundreds to his name, with a highest of 215 not out against Zimbabwe.
Abid has also played six ODIs, in which he has scored 234 runs at an average of 39. In 2019, he became the first male batter to score a century on both ODI and Test debut.