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Cricket

T20 World Cup: From being in a coma to representing Ireland in international cricket, the story of Shane Getkate

Despite suffering a cardiac arrest at 11, Shane Getkate has gone on to pursue a career in international cricket for Ireland

Shane Getkate has been included in Irelands squad for the T20 World Cup as a reserves player [Source: ICC]
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Shane Getkate has been included in Ireland's squad for the T20 World Cup as a reserves player [Source: ICC]

By

Anjishnu Roy

Published: 21 Oct 2021 3:52 PM GMT

Irish all-rounder Shane Getkate has had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome all his life. In Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, there's an extra electrical pathway between the upper and lower chambers of the heart which might lead to a sudden rise in heartbeat. Although most episodes of fast heartbeats aren't life-threatening, serious complications may arise.

In 2011, Getkate was just 19 and was involved in a U19 game for Warwickshire against Cheshire. The youngster was still trying to make a name for himself in professional cricket back then. On that hot day, Getkate's heart disorder which was diagnosed when he was around eight years old came to the surface and he ended up collapsing on the pitch.

"On that day it was hot. I bowled my spell, sat down next to the coach and I wasn't feeling great. I tried to do the same thing with my ice pack. The next minute I was on the deck.

"One of the mums at the game did CPR. Paramedics came in a helicopter. They used the defibrillator on me twice. I was in a coma for two days," the 30-year-old told BBC Sport.

On previous occasions, whenever his heart rate would go up (maybe once or twice a year), Getkate would just try to relax, put an ice pack on his neck for 20 to 30 minutes and it would go back to normal again. However, on that fateful day at the Dorridge Cricket Club, his condition almost ended up claiming his life.

"I'm lucky the paramedics got to me so quickly," he says. "If they had been five or 10 minutes later, I wouldn't be here."

Born in Durban to a South African father and Irish mother, Getkate was heavily inspired by Shaun Pollock while growing up. Although he wanted to be a rugby professional as a kid, it was only when he moved to Ireland at age 11 and studied in the same school current England captain Eoin Morgan went to, that the calling for cricket took over.

Irish-born Eoin Morgan led England to the final of the World T20 in 2016 [Source: ICC]

Shane Getkate had the company of Irish internationals William Porterfield and Boyd Rankin by the hospital bed when he was recovering. He has shared the dressing room with his current teammates for over a decade now as they all came up through the ranks together. The joy of being alive soon turned into despair when he heard the negative news from the doctors.

"I was in one hospital for two or three weeks. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to play again, or even run again. The doctors said they were 99% sure I would never play cricket again. As a 19-year-old, that was hard to take," he lamented.

However, Getkate had surgery after being moved to another hospital and his road to recovery started looking clearer. In only a month since collapsing on the pitch, the youngster was out of the hospital. Two weeks since then and the bat and the ball were in his hand again.

"It was a miracle turnaround," he continues.

"That first warm-up, when I was running, I was absolutely bricking it. I thought I was going to go down again. It took a while to build that confidence up. I was so happy to be playing again and I've had no issues since."

That unbelievable comeback was only the beginning. Getkate would go on to represent Ireland in over 25 international matches and in 2020, he was awarded a central contract on full-time basis. Shane Getkate is currently in UAE and Oman after being included as a reserve player in Ireland's squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup.

The journey so far has been absolutely incredible but the all-rounder hasn't forgotten the man who saved his life. "The paramedic's name was Terry Flowers. I would ring him on Christmas Day just to say thank you for what he did," says Getkate.

"It's a good story to tell (the miraculous turnaround from cardiac arrest to playing international cricket) and I'm very lucky to be able to tell it."

"I'll really appreciate each game. If I do play, impact and win a game for Ireland at a World Cup, I'll know I've come a long way and it's been a good journey," concluded Shane Getkate.

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