Top 10 Most Lethal Injuries in Cricket History

Cricket, often referred to as a gentleman’s game is played with absolute precaution. A great emphasis is paid to the safety of players during any cricket match. As can be observed from the usage of myriads of safety gear, modern-day cricket has been focused on keeping players injury free. Despite all that, however, there are times when rules and safety gears fail to come to players’ rescue and the game gets the better of the partakers. There have been instances when cricketers have been agonisingly hurt on the cricket field. Let's look at some instances when cricketers have been hurt very badly and have been left bleeding on the ground: 1. Phillips Hughes (Australia) 1988-2014 Phillip-Hughes. (Photo Source: Twitter) Phillip Hughes was hit by a bouncer on the back of the head during a Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and New South Wales, by the delivery from Sean Abbott. The 25 year old fell on the ground after few seconds into the injury and never regained consciousness. He suffered from castropic head injury which caused cerebral hemorrhage. Phil Hughes failed to recover even after a surgery and was declared dead three days later at a Sydney’s St. Vincent Hospital. This Incident left the whole entire cricketing fraternity in shock and grief. 2. Raman Lamba (India) 1960-1998 Raman-Lamba. (Photo Source: Twitter) Raman Lamba hails from Uttar Pradesh and played four Tests and 32 ODIs for India. In February 1998, Lamba was hit on head while fielding at short leg during a Bangladesh league match in Dhaka. Initially, Lamba claimed to be fine, but the injury proved fatal for him. He died at the age of 38 due to haermmorage. 3. Nari Contractor (India) 1934-present Indian captain Nari Contractor was hit on the head by a cruel short ball from Charlie Griffith. (Photo Source: The Cricketer International ) Indian captain Nari Contractor was hit on the head by a cruel short ball from Charlie Griffith during a match against Barbados in the 1961-62 series in the West Indies. Contractor, who collapsed on the pitch with a fractured skull, underwent emergency brain operation and was unconscious for six days. He never played international cricket again. But is fit and still pretty much alive and living his life. 4. Abdul Aziz (Pakistan) 1941-1959 Abdul-Aziz. (Photo Source: Twitter) The only batsman before Phillip Hughes to die on the cricket pitch from a bouncer was Pakistan’s Abdul Aziz. In the year 1959, he was hit in the chest while batting in Karachi and collapsed on the field. 17-year old Aziz already had a heart ailment and died from the blow. 5. Mark Vermeulen (Zimbabwe) 1979-present Mark Vermeulen was struck a disgusting blow on the head by Irfan Pathan. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Mark Vermeulen was struck a disgusting blow on the head by Irfan Pathan during Zimbabwe’s VB Series in Australia. Zimbabwe’s Vermeulen suffered a depressed skull when he top-edged a bouncer from Irfan Pathan during a tri-series match in Brisbane and underwent reconstructive surgery. In fact he was hit twice during his career. 6. Rilee Rossouw (South Africa) 1989- present Rilee-Rossouw. (Photo Source: Twitter) Rilee Rossouw who recently made his debut for South Africa was also left with a bleeding nose after being hit by nasty bouncer by Lasith Malinga during the Sri Lanka Premier League in the year 2012. He was rushed immediately to hospital for treatment and has recovered well post injury. 7. Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan) 1991-present Ahmed Shezad was hit on his head by a bouncer bowled by Corey Anderson. (Photo Source: AFP) Ahmed Shezad was hit on his head by a bouncer bowled by Corey Anderson in 1st Test against New Zealand just couple of weeks before the saddening Phillips Hughes incident occurred. He suffered a hairline fracture and was taken off the field. He was dismissed hit wicket at his career best score of 176 in that match. 8. Mike Gatting (England) 1957-present Malcolm Marshal’s bouncer hit Mike Gatting on the nose during an ODI in Jamaica in 1986. (Photo Source: PA Photos) West Indies pacer Malcolm Marshal’s bouncer hit Mike Gatting on the nose during an ODI in Jamaica in 1986. The vicious bouncer struck him on the nose which left him bleeding profusely. The impact of the blow was so horrid that the ball rebounded to the bowler after hitting him. 9. Mark Boucher (South Africa) 1979-2012 Mark Boucher. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Mark Boucher was hit on his eye during a practice match against Somerset. A googly from Imran Tahir hit the stumps and a dislodged bail struck Boucher in the left eye. He left the field with a bleeding eye. He was later diagnosed with a lacerated eyeball which was caused by the injury. After that injury he announced his retirement from international cricket as doctors declared him unfit for cricket thereafter. 10. Gary Kirsten (South Africa) 1967-present The former South African opener Gary Kirsten was badly injured by Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The former South African opener and Indian coach Gary Kirsten was badly injured by Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar during a Test match in the year 2003. Kirsten tried to hook a bouncer from the Rawalpindi Express but missed the ball completely. The ball hit him through the visor of his helmet just below the left eye. He suffered a broken nose and had ten stitches. But has been fine post treatment and recovered from the blow.

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Top 10 Most Lethal Injuries in Cricket History

There have been instances when cricketers have been agonizingly hurt on the cricket field.

10. Gary Kirsten (South Africa) 1967-present

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