How Qasim Sheikh’s podcast is helping him beat depression

Former Scotland batsman has been tackling mental health issues during lockdown

Former Scotland batsman Qasim Sheikh has revealed how his lockdown podcast helped him win a lengthy battle with depression. Picture: John Devlin

Former Scotland batsman Qasim Sheikh has revealed how lockdown helped him win a lengthy battle with depression and inspire others around the world to do the same.

Sheikh, who earned 36 caps and scored three first-class centuries during an illustrious career, was due to spend the current domestic season with Clydesdale, where his prodigious talents first came to light more than two decades ago.

Instead, despite the disappointment of a cricket-starved summer, the 35-year-old has taken the chance to hit his demons for six.

After a bitter marriage breakdown and the loss of access to his six-year-old son Harris two years ago, Sheikh hit rock-bottom and admits to having contemplated suicide.

Such drastic thoughts were laid to rest by a combination of factors which have seen him rediscover a characteristic zest for life.

Meeting second wife Kaya and the birth of daughter Ava have been fundamental to restoring order to what had become a chaotic personal life.

Meanwhile, the launch of an entertaining and already highly popular podcast Sheikhy’s Cricketing and Sports Journeys has given a new sense of purpose and self-esteem following redundancy in the wake of coronavirus.

Qasim Sheikh, the former Scotland batsman, was due to spend the current domestic cricket season with Clydesdale. Photograph: Bill Murray/SNS

Still itching for his first innings of the summer, Sheikh is nonetheless happy to reflect on the turnaround in his life.

He said: “Things became pretty much as bad as they could be a couple of years ago and I lost my way completely. Not being able to see my son was the last straw and I really was in the depths of despair – at the darkest point I have to admit I was not far from suicide.”

A visit to his doctor sparked a change in outlook while meeting Kaya – renowned as YouTube singer KAYA Music – was transformational.

Sheikh added: “Luckily I found the will to carry on and to share my feelings with the people closest to me. It really is so important for people with depression to talk – bottling things up just makes it worse. My parents were a massive help to me and my father especially. He phoned me every single day even although I don’t think he fully understood mental health issues and his message to me to keep praying was a huge factor in helping me.”

Qasim Sheikh hosts the popular podcast Sheikhy’s Cricketing and Sports Journeys. Picture: John Devlin

Having come through the toughest of times Sheikh decided to have a positive impact on others who are struggling.

Sharing his experiences on his podcast sparked responses from around the world, while interviews with cricketers from Scotland and elsewhere have drawn sizeable audiences.

On 1 May Sheikh should have been preparing for his first club match of the season but instead was broadcasting the first of 13 episodes of Sheikhy’s Cricketing and Sports Journeys to air so far.

That interview with former Scotland team-mate Ryan Flannigan has been followed by chats with national skipper Kyle Coetzer, ex-Scotland, England and Yorkshire all-rounder Gavin Hamilton as well as West Indies duo Tino Best and Darren Sammy and Australia’s Ben Laughlin.

One of the most watched episodes featured Sheikh and Majid Haq discussing the ups and downs of their respective Scotland careers as well as sharing their experiences of depression.

Sheikh, for whom a new career in broadcasting may well beckon, added: “I’d always been interested in the media and it was the something I wanted to try when I finished playing.

“But losing my job due to coronavirus and then the cricket season being cancelled meant I had time on my hands and so I decided to give it a go.

“Like every cricketer I was gutted when the season was called-off especially since I was due to return to my first club Clydesdale after a few years away.

“But I’ve managed to turn it into a positive by launching the podcast which has been brilliant fun and which may help open a few doors for me.

“Although it’s only been cricketers in the first season of programmes, I already have some big names from a variety of sports lined-up for future series.”

Inspired by heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s battle with depression, Sheikh also posted a solo piece speaking frankly about his own mental health battle and how he overcame it.

“That’s the piece which has drawn messages from round the world and many, with similar demons, have said my story helped them.

“I feel blessed not only to have come through my own situation but to have the opportunity to have a positive impact on others.”

Read more about Qasim’s story at Sheikhy’s Cricketing & Sports Journeys on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes and on Twitter (@QasimQQaz) and Instagram (qasim.sheikh77).

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