Tragedy on the Cricket Field: Mumbai Cricketer Jayesh Sawala Fatally Struck During Match

Matunga, 10th January 2024: Mumbai’s cricketing community mourns the loss of 52-year-old cricketer Jayesh Sawala, who tragically lost his life during a cricket match at Dadkar Maidan in Matunga. The incident unfolded while Sawala was fielding with his back turned to a batsman on an adjacent pitch at the Dadar Parsi Colony Sporting Club ground. A ball struck him on the back, behind his ear, leading to a fatal fall. Despite immediate efforts to rush him to the hospital, Sawala was declared dead.

The matches in progress were part of the Kutchi Visa Oswal Vikas Legend Cup, a T20 tournament specifically designed for individuals aged 50 and above. In Mumbai, where limited space often results in multiple cricket matches happening simultaneously, this unfortunate incident marks the first recorded fatality during such events.

The police have filed an accidental death report, and although an autopsy was ordered, no foul play is suspected at this time. The body has been released to the family, and the medical officer at Lion Tarachand Hospital confirmed that Sawala was brought in dead around 5 pm.