Malayalee cricketer dies on field in New Zealand

DUNEDIN Feb 13: A cricketer died after suffering a medical event during a match in Dunedin on February 2, 2019, reports said. The sudden death occurred about 4pm at the Sunnyvale Sports Centre, Main South Road, Green Island, and was attended by St John Ambulance and police.

The Otago Daily Times has identified the man as 33-year-old Hareesh Gangadharan.  Hareesh collapsed in the field while playing for his Green Island club side at Sunnyvale on Saturday after suffering an apparent medical event. He was a family man and had played for the club for five or six seasons.

It is understood that he was walking away having completed bowling an over when he collapsed. Reports in New Zealand claim he had bowled just two overs before slumping to the pitch where he complained of struggling for breath and eventually lost consciousness.

Baffled teammates have told The Otago Daily Times Gangadharan did not have any known medical conditions and was a fit and healthy young man.

The Otago Daily Times’ reports Gangadharan leaves behind his wife Nisha Hareesh and their three-year-old daughter Gowri.

Moyle originally confirmed the tragic news through a club statement.

“I am heartbroken to confirm the news of the very sudden death of our Green Island Cricket Club member while playing yesterday at Sunnyvale,” he said.

“Hareesh Gangadharan suffered a medical event and despite all efforts by teammates, the public and emergency services he could not be saved.

Originally from Kochi (Cochin) in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Hareesh came to New Zealand about five years ago to marry his wife, who was already in the country.

Friends and family said Hareesh would start his night shift job at Otago Daily Times publisher Allied Press at 9.30pm and work through the night, before returning home to look after his daughter while his wife was at her job at the Southern District Health Board.

His brother-in-law, who declined to be named, said he and another brother subjected Hareesh to a tough interview ahead of the proposed arranged marriage to Nisha.

They were impressed with his kind and genuine nature, as well as his knowledge of cricket, he said. “We hassled him … and he passed with flying colours.”