Henry Olonga issues public apology over Heath Streak death rumour, says he is 'truly saddened'

Former Zimbabwean fast bowler Henry Olonga has issued a public apology in relation to the regrettable incident involving the premature death announcement of Heath Streak. Olonga shared a statement in which he conveyed his heartfelt apologies to both the Zimbabwean cricketer and his family for the distress that was caused. The incident centered around Olonga’s initial announcement, subsequently followed by a retraction, regarding the passing of his former teammate and Zimbabwe captain, Heath Streak. Olonga, now residing in Australia, took to social media to announce the news of Streak’s supposed demise. Streak, a former Zimbabwe captain and a prominent wicket-taker for his country in both Test and One Day International (ODI) formats, was grappling with stage four cancer and was undergoing treatment in South Africa. However, shortly after this initial announcement, Streak himself refuted the rumours of his own death, expressing his surprise at the rapid spread of unverified information on social media. Olonga, too, acknowledged his mistake, admitting that he should have verified the information before sharing such sensitive news. He also extended a public apology to Streak and his family. In his heartfelt apology, Olonga conveyed his deep regret and offered his apologies to Heath Streak’s family.

“I certainly offered my sincere apologies to the Streaks after the blunder. This was an unnecessary burden for them. Nonetheless, I hope that you now understand the context and I genuinely appreciate your forgiveness for my role in this unfortunate incident. I am truly saddened by it,” Olonga stated in his communication. Within the statement, Olonga mentioned his intention to reconnect with his former captain, recognising the divergent paths their lives had taken. He also emphasised that he has maintained the strongest connections within the realm of Zimbabwean cricket. “It was incredibly heartening to witness the outpouring of affection for our champion. Perhaps a silver lining…….” Olonga further added.