HARARE – Zimbabwe cricket legend Heath Streak is reportedly critically ill amid calls for prayers from family and friends.

The nature of the 49-year-old’s ailment was not disclosed.

In a tweet, former Education, Sports and Culture, Minister David Coltart, who has close relations with the Streak family, said the former Zimbabwean national cricket team captain and fast bowler has fallen “extremely ill”.

“This is a call to prayer warriors in #Zimbabwe and beyond. Heath Streak, one of the greatest cricketers our nation has ever produced, is extremely ill and needs our prayers. Please could we all be in prayer for him and his family,” Coltart said.

Sports journalists Mike Madoda and Adam Theofilatos, also took to Twitter to report the dire state of the cricket legend.

Madoda tweeted that Streak was on his “last legs” while Theo described the news as “awful”.

“Heath Streak is on his last legs. Family en route to South Africa from the UK.

“Seems only a miracle will save him now.

“Prayers up,” he wrote.

Streak, regarded as one of the finest Zimbabwean players in the elite sport, captained the Zimbabwe national cricket team.

By his statistical record, he is the best bowler to have played for Zimbabwe.

He is the all-time leading wicket taker for Zimbabwe in Test cricket with 216 wickets and in ODI cricket with 239 wickets.

Streak is the first and only Zimbabwean bowler to have taken over 100 Test wickets and one of only four Zimbabwean bowlers to have taken over 100 ODI wickets.

He is the first and only Zimbabwean to have completed the double of 1000 career runs and 100 wickets in test cricket as well as the first and only Zimbabwean to have completed the double of 2000 runs and 200 wickets in ODIs.