'I thought my cricketing career was over,' says Abid Ali recalling his heart ailment

The Pakistani Test opener Abid Ali was diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome while playing a match in Pakistan's major first-class tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, in December 2021. Abid underwent a successful angioplasty following the diagnosis, and now, he is steadily regaining his full fitness.

Recently, the gritty opener has shared the horrible thoughts he had when the severe disease was detected in his body. Speaking to cricket Pakistan, Abid said that he had never imagined going through such a scary health problem in his life. When he was diagnosed with the disease, he felt that his career as a professional cricketer was over. However, he thanked the doctors, fans and media who stood by him during the crisis and motivated him to recover in a quick time. 

"I never imagined such an incident could ever occur and initially, it felt as if my cricketing career was over. But all praise to Allah Almighty and all the doctors who motivated me to make a comeback; fans and media also played a key role in it," Abid said. 

Continuing, Abid said that he is grateful to the PCB chairman Mr Ramiz Raja and the panel of NCA doctors for their constant support. He also thanked the entire team that is constantly monitoring his progress in the rehabilitation centre. 

"I would like to thank the PCB and all those who supported me, especially Ramiz Raja and NCA doctors on the panel. Additionally, I am also thankful to have a great team who are working with me and helping me in the rehabilitation centre," the Pakistani opener said. 

When asked about his current health status, the 16-test-old stressed that he's finally back to a normal routine after struggling for 5-6 months. Talking about his ambitions of making a comeback into Pakistan's red-ball team, the right-handed batter said that his only focus is to keep himself fit and available, leaving the result up to the will of the almighty. 

"The last 5-6 months, I have been in extreme discomfort, but I am back to my normal routine. I want to regain my form and continue representing Pakistan how I was doing so before. The result is in the hands of Allah; all I can do is prepare myself and make sure that I remain fully fit to make a comeback," the 34-year-old concluded.