Abdul Aziz (Sindh cricketer)

Abdul Aziz (Urdu: عبدالعزیز), (1941−17 January 1959) was a Pakistani cricketer who was born, and died, in Karachi, Sind. A wicket-keeper and opening batsman, Abdul Aziz played eight first-class matches for Karachi before he died after being struck by a cricket ball. He was a student at S. M. College and worked for the Pakistan State Bank.^[1]

Abdul Aziz

Personal information
Full name	Abdul Aziz
Born	1941 Karachi, Sind, British India
Died	17 January 1959 (aged 17–18) Karachi, Sind, Pakistan
Batting	Right-handed
Role	Wicket-keeper
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1958/59	Karachi
1957/58	Karachi C
FC debut	11 October 1957 Karachi C v Sind A
Last FC	16 January 1959 Karachi v Pakistan Combined Services
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 8 Runs scored 149 Batting average 21.28 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 35 Catches/stumpings 17/5
Source: CricketArchive, 21 August 2008

Whilst batting in the first innings of the Quaid-e-Azam final against Pakistan Combined Services, Abdul Aziz was struck over the heart by a slow off break from Dildar Awan. While preparing to receive the next ball, Abdul Aziz fell to the ground and never regained consciousness, dying en route to the hospital.^[1] It is believed the blow aggravated an existing undiagnosed heart condition. A player who does not bat in an innings is recorded in the scorecard as "absent"; Abdul Aziz is recorded as "absent" in the second innings, with a footnote explaining he was hurt but died.^[2][3]

Two of Abdul Aziz's brothers also played first-class cricket: Abdul Kadir played one match for North-West Frontier Province;^[4] Abdur Rasheed played 28 matches between 1953/54 and 1964/65.^[5]

See also

• List of unusual deaths in the 20th century
• Ray Chapman, an American baseball player killed after being struck by a ball during a game; he was the only player in Major League Baseball history to die of an in-game injury
• List of fatal accidents in cricket

Notes

1. Haigh, Gideon (2006). Peter The Lord's Cat and Other Unexpected Obituaries from Wisden. London, Eng: John Wisden & Co. p. 16. ISBN 1845131630.
2. Karachi v Combined Services in 1958/59 scorecard, 1959-01-21, CricketArchive. Retrieved on 2014-11-28. "... hit in the chest from ball from Dildar Awan and collapsed and died on the way to hospital."
3. "The Wall". ESPNcricinfo. 11 January 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
4. Abdul Kadir profile, CricketArchive. Retrieved on 2008-08-21
5. Abdur Rasheed profile, CricketArchive. Retrieved on 2008-08-21

References

• Haigh, Gideon ed. (2006). "Aziz, Abdul" in Peter, the Lord's Cat. London, Aurum Press. ISBN 1-84513-163-0

External links

• Abdul Aziz at ESPNcricinfo