Former NZ Skipper Chris Cairns Collapses; On Life Support In Aus

Former New Zealand all-rounder Chirs Cairns is reportedly on life support in Australia after collapsing in Australia due to a serious heart problem last week. Apparently, Chris, who is undergoing treatment at a Canberra hospital, underwent multiple surgeries, but has not responded as hoped.

New Zealand media reported that Chris, 51, had suffered an aortic dissection (a tear in the body’s main artery) in his heart. The New Zealand cricket association has refused to comment on Chris’ health condition, citing his privacy.

Chris was one of the best all-rounders in his time. He represented New Zealand in 62 tests and 215 ODIs in a 17-year career as an international cricketer. He scored over 3,000 test runs and nearly 5,000 ODI runs and took more than 200 wickets in both formats of the game.

He was named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 2000, and also received the New Zealand Order of Merit upon his retirement from tests in 2004.

An unfortunate match-fixing scandal during the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) had tarnished Chris’ reputation at the end of his career. He fought many legal battles to be successfully cleared of all the fixing allegations.