38-year-old Indian cricketer Danish Vazhabilath Madhavan collapsed and lost his life while participating in a cricket match. The unfortunate incident occurred during his match with the Al-Sal Warriors team, Al-Misfah, on the Al-Misfah ground. Danish leaves behind his wife and three-year-old son who reside in India.
SAL Misfat militant commander Sreejesh provided information about the tragic incident.
“He has been a key player on our team. He has played with us every Friday for the past few years. Our matches include 16 times with a tennis ball. Last Friday, he was hitting and throwing. Suddenly, while on the court, he collapsed. At first we thought maybe he felt “He got dizzy and fell.”
Immediate action was taken as the team transferred him to a nearby hospital in Misfat. Unfortunately, the facility was closed, prompting them to rush to a larger hospital in Ghubra. But doctors there declared him dead upon arrival.
When asked about performing CPR, Sreejesh said: “We’re not sure about that, so we quickly took him to the hospital, assuming maybe he felt dizzy and fell. It’s really unfortunate because he looked quite fit during our regular league matches on Friday.”
This incident adds to a worrying trend, underscoring the need for greater awareness among amateur players. Regular checkups and CPR training have become essential. The founder of the Muscat Tennis and Cricket League (MTCL), Shaheer Ahmed, expressed his concerns.
He said: “We need to start an awareness campaign in the Sultanate, and we intend to launch it soon in cooperation with Oman Cricket, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and a number of hospitals.”
The increasing number of such incidents underscores the importance of educating players about the importance of medical examinations. Dr IPS Ramanathan, a leading sports injury consultant at Muscat Private Hospital, highlighted possible causes, such as cardiomyopathy that leads to heart failure.
“Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the main heart muscle disease that causes sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletes. It is a condition in which the heart muscle thickens abnormally, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively throughout the body.
Regular health screenings for athletes are crucial in identifying and treating underlying conditions and preventing tragic incidents like this.