Ramiz Raja, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has requested that defibrillators be installed in the Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi stadiums, as well as the National High Performance Centre.

Defibrillators are devices that provide an electric pulse or shock to the heart to restore a regular heartbeat.

After test opener Abid Ali complained of chest pain while batting for Central Punjab versus Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy’s final round, the decision was made. The team doctor had rushed him to a nearby hospital where he underwent angioplasty and two stents were placed in his blocked coronary artery.

“This situation can befall on any cricketer. I have asked our doctors to install defibrillators at our stadiums so that they are equipped and ready to use survival kits, should a situation arise,” Raja was quoted as saying by PCB.

He wished Abid a speedy recovery but also advised him “take his time and don’t compromise on his health”.

“Welcome back, Abid Ali. Many congratulations to you [on your recovery] as one’s life changes after such an experience. It is your courage that you still have a smile on your face. Such experiences are a learning curve,” Raja said.

“The lesson for everyone is even if you are an athlete and do regular sports, one is not aware of the wear and tear that goes inside the body. The good thing is Abid Ali was saved. He received great treatment and was taken care of. He is a star for us,” he concluded.