LONDON: Former Pakistani batsman Zaheer Abbas has responded well to the treatment being provided to him in a London hospital, his wife Sameena Zaheer told  The News  on Sunday.

Abbas, who is popularly known as the Asian Don Bradman, has shown signs of improvement, but doctors are keen to keep him in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Queen Mary’s Hospital in London for his well-being. He will then be moved to the Hammersmith Hospital in the metropolitan that specialises in kidney treatment. But the decision to do so has not yet been made.

Zaheer’s wife added that after his pneumonia diagnosis following his arrival to London from Dubai, the 74-year-old veteran cricketer was rushed to the hospital’s emergency last Sunday.

“He was in Pakistan and flew to Dubai from Karachi. In Dubai, he tested positive for COVID-19 and travelled to London when his test came negative after three days. He was unwell after reaching London and was diagnosed with pneumonia after being taken to the hospital a week ago. He was placed on dialysis and has been receiving oxygen support,” she said, adding that he might need treatment for his kidney issues.

Sameena further stated that her husband was in a “life and death situation”. She thanked fans and well-wishers for their wishes and prayers for Zaheer’s recovery.

“He has improved a lot, and will be out of the hospital soon,” she added.

Having made his debut in 1969 against New Zealand, the former cricketer is celebrated for his batting in international and English country cricket. He served as the president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) during 2015-16, scored 5,062 runs in 72 Tests, and 2,572 runs in  62 ODIs.

Zaheer, famous for his style, remains the only batsman from the sub-continent to score over 100 first-class centuries.