Mumbai cricketer succumbs after copping nasty blow to head

Cricket Ball (Photo Source: Twitter)

In an unfortunate incident, a cricketer was struck on the head by a ball from a different match and died at Matunga’s Major Dhadkar Maidan on January 8. The deceased, 52-year-old Jayesh Savla, was participating in the Kutchi Community’s veteran’s cricket competition at Dadar Union Sporting Club when the incident occurred.

Savla was fielding in close proximity to another game going on at the nearby Dadar Parsee Colony pitch. The batter from the other match hit a powerful pull shot in his way and Salva did not realise the ball was heading straight for him. It hit the back of his head and was quickly taken to Sion Hospital right away, where he was declared dead on arrival.

“He fell down and was rushed to hospital, where he was declared dead,” said an eyewitness as per the Times of India.

The two games were part of the Kutchi Visa Oswal Vikas Legend Cup, a T20 competition open to players 50 years of age and older. Rohit Gangar, who was part of this tournament, narrated the incident.

“We had two matches on Monday afternoon, one at Dadar Union and the second at Dadar Parsee Colony pitch. Savla was playing for Gala Rocks against Master Blaster and was positioned at point when the DPC game’s batter hit a pull shot. The ball hit him on the back of his head, exactly where Australia’s Phil Hughes had been hit which led to his death,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Cricket circles in the city have been shattered by the occurrence. The fact that games are held on fields next to one another in Mumbai‘s maidans poses trouble. The several grounds of Matunga and Cross Maidan are closely spaced. Moreover, this was presumably the first instance where a player’s injury resulted in their death, even though it was not the first time a player had been hurt by a ball from another game here.

Meanwhile, the police announced that they have filed an accidental death report and ordered an autopsy to ensure that the death was not caused intentionally. However, the report contained no such evidence.