Mumbai Cricketer Dies After Being Hit by Stray Ball from Adjacent Game

A 52-year-old man died after being hit on the head during a cricket match in Mumbai on Monday afternoon. Jayesh Sawala, who was fielding during the match at Dadkar Maidan in Matunga was fatally struck by a stray ball from another match being played at the Dadar Parsi Colony Sporting Club ground.

As per an eyewitness, Sawala was hit on his head behind the ear and fell to the ground. “He fell to the ground and rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead,” said an eyewitness as quoted by the Times of India.

The report further added that both matches were being played for the Kutchhi Visa Oswal Vikas Legend Cup, a T20 tournament for those aged 50 years and above. Police filed an accidental death report and even though an autopsy was ordered, foul play has been ruled out.

Sawala, was a businessman from Bhayandar, reported by Hindustan Times. Another eyewitness talking to the national daily said, “We had two matches on Monday afternoon, one at Dadar Union and the second at Dadar Parsee Colony pitch. Savla was playing for Gala Rocks against Master Blaster and was positioned at the point when the DPC game’s batter hit a pull shot. The ball hit him on the back of his head, exactly where Australia’s Phil Hughes had been hit which led to his death.”

After the incident, the morning’s net sessions were cancelled at the Matunga maidan the following day. It is a very common sight in Mumbai maidans for two or more matches to take place at the same ground with adjacent pitches to each other and while there have been injuries in the past, this could very well be the first instance of someone being fatally struck by a stray ball.