Young cricketer dies after being hit on head

MARDAN: Zubair Ahmed, a young cricketer, died after being hit on the head while batting in a club match at Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board expressed grief at the death of the youngster and said it was a reminder that safety gear must be worn at all times. Former Australian player Dean Jones also expressed condolences via twitter.

A focus on player safety has been heightened ever since the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes less than three years ago. Playing for South Australia against New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney, 26-Test veteran Hughes was struck on neck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott. He passed away at a hospital in Sydney two days later.

Australian vice captain David Warner was forced to retire after being hit by a short ball by national teammate Josh Hazlewood in an intra-squad match. Warner, though, has been declared fit to participate in the Test series against Bangladesh.