Cricket is said to as a “Gentleman’s sport” because of its strategies, regulations, enthusiasm, and perseverance. Since its discovery, cricket has undergone ongoing evolution. As cricket changes, its forms get shorter, from 5-day tests to ODIs to now T20s. Cricket is a traditional and elegant sport for both players and spectators because of the players’ intensity and love for the game. Both deadly and entertaining, the game can even take participants’ lives. The players who lost their lives as a result of an accident during the game are mentioned below.
Top 10 cricketers who pass away while playing the game
10. Phillips Hughes (30 November 1988– 27 November 2014)
Australian cricketer Phillips was a young left-handed opener. He was a developing player for the Australian squad as well. Phillips has also participated in domestic cricket for Worcestershire and South Australia. In his career, he spent two seasons with New South Wales, making his test debut at age 20 in 2009 and his ODI debut in 2013.
Phillips was considered to be Australia’s bright future, but things don’t always work out as we expect them to. On November 25, 2014, a bouncer struck Phillips in the neck during a game at Sydney Cricket Ground. He was taken to the hospital, but sadly, he passed away after two days of survival in a coma.
9. Raman Lamba (2 January 1960 – 23 February 1998)
Raman represented India in cricket and participated in 32 ODIs and 4 test matches. He was one of the most well-known cricketers of his day and made his Australian League debut in 1986 for India. Raman Lamba experienced a 2-day coma attack before passing suddenly at the age of 23 from an internal haemorrhage while playing in the Bangladesh Cricket League. Raman’s passing was terrible for the Indian squad, and cricket fans will always remember this great.
8. Raymond van Schoor (23 May 1990– 20 November 2015)
The most of people are unaware of this Namibian right-handed hitter. The Namibian cricketer with the most appearances for his country—more than 200—was Raymond. In November 2015, Raymond had a stroke while competing at Wanderers Cricket Ground versus Free State. After a serious storke, he struggled but was ultimately unsuccessful, dying at the age of 25. Namibians will always have a place in their hearts for Raymond.
7. Abdul Aziz (1941- 17 January 1959)
Pakistan’s history in cricket is incredible, and while the country is also renowned as a haven for bowlers, Pakistani batters weren’t any less skilled. In the early years of cricket, the right-handed opening batsman Abdul Aziz represented Pakistan. Abdul Aziz, who was killed at the age of 17 after being hit by a cricket ball in the heart, was thought to have the potential to become one of Pakistan’s most famous cricketers, but we humans cannot determine when someone will die.
6. Darryn Randall (2 December 1980 -27 October 2013)
Darry Randall played right-handed cricket for South Africa and occasionally served as the wicketkeeper. One of the most traumatic player deaths was that of Darryn. Darryn was struck in the head by a fast bowl during a game in Alice, Eastern Cape, on October 27, 2013, and died there at the age of 33.
5. Ian Folley (9 January 1963- 30 August 1993)
Ian Folley played right-handed cricket for England and bowled with his left arm as a medium pacer and spinner.
He was playing against Workington when a ball struck beneath his eye. Ian was transported right away to the neighbourhood hospital for a quick procedure to fix his eyeball and avoid further issues. However, the procedure went wrong, and as a result of a heart attack, Ian was unable to breathe. A superb talent, Ian Folley began his career in 1982 as a pacer for Lancashire.
4. Ankit Keshri 4. (28 October 1994- 20 April 2015)
Ankit Keshri played right-handed batsman for Bengal and was an Indian. Although Keshri played domestic matches for Bengal, she never represented India internationally. Ankit was fielding at the sweeper cover during a game when Sourav (a left-arm pacer) rushed to grab a high catch. As a result of the chaos, both Ankit and Sourav collided. It was just a routine mishap on the cricket field, but not for Ankit, who collapsed on the ground and started bleeding from the mouth. He was taken to the hospital right afterwards, where he died while receiving treatment.
3. Wasim Raja 3. (3 July 1952-23 August 2006)
Wasim Raja was a versatile player who was also a cricket instructor, a match referee, and a left-handed batter. Raja has played for Pakistan in over 100 international games and over 250 first-class games, amassing 11,334 runs. He had a heart attack and died at the age of 54.
2. Zulfiqar Bhatti
There isn’t a much of information online on the player, although some rumours claim that he was Pakistan cricket’s future and rising star. Zulfiqar passed away after having a rising ball strike him in the chest. Nowhere does it say if he passed away immediately or in the hospital. Zulfiqar went away when he was 22 years old. The second cricketer on our list to pass away while playing the game was.
1. Richard Beaumont
English club cricketer and bowler Richard Beaumont (type not mentioned). Sometimes the luckiest day of our lives transforms abruptly into the Black Day, and something similar occurred to Richard. Richard was thrilled to take five wickets for Pedmore CC, but shortly afterward, he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the ground. Richard was transported to the hospital right away, but when he arrived, 33 years old, he had already been declared dead. He topped our list of cricketers who lost their lives while playing the game.