In yet another tragic incident, an amateur cricketer collapsed during a game and passed away on Friday morning.

Dhanesh Vazhappilath Madhavan, a 38-year-old cricketer, lost his life while participating in a 'Friday morning friendly league' match for Saal Fighters Misfah team at a ground in Misfah. Dhanesh, an active all-rounder for the team, is survived by his wife and a three-year-old son residing in India.

Srijesh, the captain of Saal Fighters Misfah, confirmed the unfortunate event, stating, "He was an athletic player and had been an active part of our team for the past couple of years. We usually play 16-over matches with a tennis ball on Fridays, and on that particular day, he batted and bowled. While taking his position on the field, he suddenly collapsed. Initially, we thought he had felt dizzy."

The team rushed Dhanesh to a nearby hospital in Misfah, but it was closed. They then hurried to a larger hospital in Ghubra, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Reflecting on the incident, Srijesh mentioned that they were not familiar with CPR techniques and promptly took him to the hospital, assuming he might have felt dizzy and fallen. Dhanesh, who worked in the Readymix Division of Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company, will be repatriated to his native town of Thrissur after completing the necessary procedures.

This incident, marking the third such occurrence this year, underscores the critical need for increased awareness among amateur players for proper medical checkups and the importance of learning CPR techniques. In response to the recent death, Shaheer Ahmed, a founder of the Muscat Tennis Ball Cricket League (MTCL), emphasized the necessity of launching an awareness campaign in coordination with Oman Cricket, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and local hospitals.

Dr. E B S Ramanathan, a leading sports injury consultant at Muscat Private Hospital, emphasized the significance of medical examinations for both amateur and professional athletes, stating that sudden cardiac death could be caused by conditions such as cardiomyopathy. He stressed the importance of detecting underlying conditions to prevent such tragic incidents.