Former Bangladesh U19 cricketer Mohammad Sozib dies by suicide

Mohammad Sozib, a former Bangladesh U19 cricketer, died by suicide at his residence on Saturday, November 14. The 21-year-old from Rajshahi was a part of the Tigers’ U19 World Cup squad, captained by Saif Hassan. He went to New Zealand as a standby player but wasn’t included in the playing eleven. The young right-handed batsman was in Bangladesh U19’s Asia Cup squad earlier.

In 2018, he made his List A debut for Shinepukur, getting scores of 9,0 and 1*. However, since March 2018, he hasn’t played a single competitive match. Abu Enam Mohammad, the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) game development manager, was saddened by the incident.

Sozib wasn’t a part of the draft for the upcoming Bangabandhu T20 Cup. Abu reckoned that being left out of the tournament might have prompted him to take the step.

Mohammad Sozib hasn’t been regular in cricket in the past few years

“Sozib was part of our U-19’s 2018 batch with Saif and Afif (Hossain). He was a standby in the World Cup. He played against Sri Lanka as well as in the Asia Cup. It’s really sad to hear this,” Abu told BDcrictime.

“It’s tough to say whether it’s from depression or anything else. He hasn’t been regular in cricket in the past few years. He became too much Rajshahi centric. He played just first division and (Dhaka) Premier League in Dhaka.

“He wasn’t even in the Bangabandhu T20 draft. I don’t know if there is anything to be frustrated. He even played a match in Rajshahi day before yesterday,” he added.

Khaled Mahmud, the BCB director, also recognised Sozib as a talented cricketer in the last few years. “I can’t believe what I heard. I am feeling extremely sad hearing the news.

“He was an opening batsman who bowled medium-pace, and he played for Shinepukur Cricket Club,” Mahmud, who’s also the head coach of Bangla Trac Academy in Rajshahi where Sozib began training in 2008, was quoted as saying by Kaler Kantho.

Tanumoy Ghosh, a Bangladesh first-class cricketer reckoned that Sozib was talented and could have played for a longer period of time. In Bangladesh, no service provides support for mental health. Only the BCB has come up with mental health specialists from time to time.