Humaira Kazi of the Mumbai University women’s cricket team sustained a head injury on December 21. The accident took place during the final of the All India Inter-University cricket championship at Police Gymkhana Ground in Mumbai.
The match was being played between Mumbai University and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (GNDU). GNDU won the match by 45 runs.
The incident occurred while Kazi was batting. According to eyewitnesses, her partner hit the ball to deep square leg and they crossed over for a single. The 22-year-old, who was not wearing a helmet, looked to the umpire to take leg guard but was hit on the left side of her head by the ball thrown back to the wicketkeeper by a fielder. She immediately collapsed on the pitch and stayed unconscious for a few minutes.
On regaining consciousness, she was taken to Bombay hospital for a CT scan. According to the doctors, the scan showed a minor fracture of the skull, but there was no internal damage.
Varshaa Nagrey, a volunteer at the ground, who also accompanied Kazi to the hospital said, “When she was hit, the sound could be heard clearly inside the Police Gymkhana dressing room.
“As soon as she fell, we rushed to her and saw that she wasn’t opening her eyes or responding for about two minutes. As I removed her leg guard, she moved her legs. The GNDU physio slapped her lightly and then she opened her eyes. She was unable to support her own weight, so she had to be carried off the ground by the coach of the GNDU team.”
I had headache and dizziness: Kazi
After Kazi was discharged from the hospital she said in an interview “The doctor has advised me to take rest for a couple of days. I had a headache and a little dizziness in the morning, but it was only temporary. The doctor has prescribed some medication for the same.
“The wicketkeeper shouted ‘Watch!’ as she saw the ball coming towards me, but I didn’t have any time to react. It was a freak accident that could have been avoided if I had worn a helmet.”
Kazi is a member of the Mumbai Cricket Association women’s cricket team. She has also represented India Green in the BCCI Under-19 Challenger trophy.
With the safety of players and officials in focus in the aftermath of the passing of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, there has been an emphasis on better protective gear. Cricket Australia have introduced stringent standards for the headgear.
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