Cricket world silenced by batsman’s death

Sydney: Philip Hughes, one of Australia’s most promising and talented cricketers passed away due to a tragic incident that took place at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the Sheffield Shield Match between New South Wales and South Australia on the 25th of November.

Hughes was batting when a bouncer delivered by Sean Abbott hit him on the head and knocked him unconscious on the field. The 25 year old was rushed to the hospital on a stretcher where he battled for life and finally breathed his last on the 27th of November at the St. Vincent Hospital.

According to the surgeons at St Vincent’s, the impact of the bouncer directly on the head led to the dissection of Hughes’ vertebral artery causing a serious brain hemorrhage. During surgery, experts attempted to remove a portion of the skull as the brain continued to expand from internal bleeding, but were unsuccessful. From the moment the ball hit his head till he was declared dead, Hughes did not regain consciousness.

Peter Brukner, the Australian team physician stated that dissection of the vertebral artery is extremely rare and only about 100 deaths occurring from this cause have been reported.

Philip Hughes was 20 when he made his test cricket debut and had become the youngest cricketer to have posted two centuries in a single test during the second match of his career. Following his unfortunate death that came as a shock to the cricketing world, family and friends, the upcoming 2 day match with India was cancelled, the latest rounds of the Sheffield Shield match were abandoned by the Cricket Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand suspended the second day play of the 3rd test taking place in UAE, and England’s release of the 2015 country championship fixtures was postponed.

Condolences and tributes poured in for the young cricketer who would have turned 26 on the 30th of November. International cricket officials are now discussing cricket player safety and making helmets safer to prevent any more injuries.