Kochi-born club cricketer dies on the field in New Zealand

A file photograph of Hareesh Gangadharan and wife Nisha

An Indian-born club cricketer Hareesh Gangadharan, 33, passed away following a cardiac arrest while playing for the Green Island Cricket Club (GICC) in Napier, New Zealand on Saturday. The Kochi-born all-rounder leaves behind his wife Nisha and three-year old daughter Gowri.

Gangadharan could not be saved despite an ambulance on the scene where he collapsed after finishing his over. Nisha said: "He was healthy and very active. He had no health issues. He had a sore chest and collapsed after bowling. They used a defibrillator to revive him."

GICC secretary Jeremy Scott said Gangadharan will be missed. "He will be deeply missed by his teammates and those in the club who knew him well," Scott said from New Zealand. "Hareesh was a talented top order batsman. He could make batting look easy. He was capable of smashing bowlers. He bowled medium pace and was a difficult customer to get away," he said. "Hareesh was the 275th senior player to debut for our club in 2016-17," he added.

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