From Top All-Rounder To Truck Driver, Birthday Boy Chris Cairns And His Fall From Grace

All-rounder Chris Cairns was the ‘poster boy’ of New Zealand cricket at their height of his playing career. The powerfully-built fast bowler and big-hitter was one of the most dangerous cricketers in all formats of the game. Overall in an international career spanning 17 years, Cairns turned out in 62 Tests, 215 ODIs and 2 T20Is.

Cairns managed to score 8,273 international runs, picked up 420 wickets and 81 catches as well. He was also named one of the five Wisden Cricketer of the Years in 2000. A massive striker with the bat, Cairns hit 240 sixes in Tests and ODIs.

Happy Birthday Chris Cairns __
_8273 International Runs
_420 International Wickets
_81 International Catches
_Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2000
_How good he was as a bowler. Magical Delivery to bowled @sachin_rt at Cuttack 1995.pic.twitter.com/O8Y11KsUWJ — Zohaib (Cricket King)___ (@Zohaib1981) June 13, 2023

Match-fixing libel case against Lalit Modi

Son of another New Zealand all-rounder Lance Cairns, Chris Cairns ended life after international cricket in ignominy. Chris Cairns was investigated by the British authorities over match-fixing allegations made by former Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Lalit Modi.

In March 2012, Cairns successfully sued former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi for libel, after Modi alleged on Twitter that the New Zealander had been involved in match-fixing in 2008. Cairns won costs and damages.

The Metropolitan Police later announced charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice against Cairns, stemming from the Modi libel trial.

Cairns lost all cricket-related work as a result of the match-fixing allegations made by Lalit Modi. The New Zealand all-rounder was reduced to cleaning bus shelters for a mere 17 dollars an hour.

Life as a truck driver

According to the Mid-Day report, the former cricketer has taken up a job with the Auckland council, where he drives a truck that goes around water-blasting bus shelters in the New Zealand capital. Dion Nash, former New Zealand cricketer and one of Cairns’ best friends, revealed: “He (Cairns) is trying really hard and supporting his family the best way he can. He’s not moping around, he’s showing guts and doing hard work by cleaning bus shelters,” said Nash, adding that he stands by his friend on the fixing issue.

Chris Cairns suffering from multiple health ailments

Chris Cairns, who is turning 53 years old on Tuesday, suffered a heart attack in August 2021 that placed him on life support. He subsequently became paralysed from the waist down after suffering a stroke during one of four open-heart surgeries.

In February, he revealed he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer. Now, residing in Canberra in Australia, Cairns told the podcast that the health battles carried a silver lining for him. “I harboured a lot of anger and frustration, but I carried that silently. I dug my hole in Australia and got on with life ... but I was angry,” he said.

Huge year ahead_excited to continue working with @keeogo to push my recovery as far it can go. First international trip planned for March_.off to Malaysia with the @keeogo team. Can't wait. Massive thank you to Andrew Pearce and AI Medical International also. Let's get it! _ pic.twitter.com/y9L2yxTv4a — Chris Cairns (@chriscairns168) January 8, 2023

“But now, after the last seven months, it’s so far down my thinking. It’s not a priority. It seems like another time, another place. Building that resilience up, who’s to say that wasn’t a contributing factor in helping me fight,” Cairns said last year.

Earlier this year, Cairns shared the encouraging news of his recovery as he travelled to Malaysia to recover from paralysis.