Player dies during cricket match after heart attack, video goes viral

Babu Nalwade, a 47-year-old man, passed away on Wednesday, February 17 after suffering a heart attack while playing a cricket match in Junnar tehsil of Pune district. In a video doing the rounds on social media platforms, the player was seen, collapsing on the ground while standing at the non-striker’s end.

The incident took place in a local tournament organized near the Jadhavwadi village. In the clip, the umpire was seen, rushing towards Nalwade to check for his well-being. He was then taken to a nearby hospital and was declared dead thereafter.

“He was rushed to a private hospital where he was declared brought dead. An autopsy confirmed that he had had a heart attack,” an official from Narayangaon police station was quoted as saying in News18.

पुणे : जाधववाडी (ता. जुन्नर) येथे स्थानिक क्रिकेट स्पर्धेत खेळताना महेश उर्फ बाबु विठ्ठल नलावडे (वय ४७,रा.धोलवड, ता. जुन्नर) या खेळाडूचा मृत्यू झाला. फलंदाजीसाठी मैदानात असतानाच हृदयविकाराच्या तीव्र झटका आल्याने महेश मृत्युमुखी पडला. #pune #Cricket #PuneNews pic.twitter.com/8pa4wfK5nJ

— sakalmedia (@SakalMediaNews) February 17, 2021

Rolls the clock back to Phillip Hughes

The incident in Pune has refreshed the memories of 2014 when Australian batsman Phillip Hughes lost his life. During a Sheffield Shield game, the left-hander was hit on the head off a Sean Abbott delivery. He was then rushed to the hospital where he fought for two days before bidding adieu to mother earth.

It happened before India’s tour of Australia. Abbot, who bowled the bouncer, had to go through a lot of counselling to get over what happened. Ever since then, the importance of using helmets has been iterated plenty of times. Making the helmets more effective has also been talked about.

In 2019, the concussion substitute also came into place and Marnus Labuschagne became one after Steve Smith was concussed. A number of batters have been hit on the head from there on, and have been substituted. In 2013, a 32-year-old Daniel Randall lost his life after he got hit on the side of his head while playing a pull shot.

Zulfiqar Bhatti, aged 32, lost his life after he was hit on the chest and lost consciousness during a domestic match in Pakistan. In 2012, Richard Beaumont passed away after a suspected heart attack during a county league match in England.

After taking five wickets, he collapsed on the pitch. He was taken to the hospital but was declared dead. Former Indian Test cricketer Raman Lamba died after getting hit on the head during a league cricket match in Bangladesh.