10 cricketers who escaped death (UPDATED)

Cricket is synonymous with the brutalities or severe injuries inflicted on the field. There have been some really tragic incidents in Cricket that brought tears in our eyes. But still, some survival stories inspire us into fighting hard with adversities. While death or other tragedies had a poignant note, the history of cricketers also cherishes a lot of brave warriors who have astonishingly escaped deaths and various major life threats overcoming the odds by the sheer power of will. Here is a compilation of 10 cricketers who escaped death.

10 cricketers who escaped death

Matthew Wade : Testicular Cancer

Unlike the other players who became well known having battled the malice of cancer, Australian cricketer Matthew Wade was diagnosed with a rather lethal form of cancer even before he was reputed as a professional cricketer. At the really early age of mere 16, he was hit in his groin during a football match. It was chiefly because of that injury on the field that the doctors later detected that Wade had testicular cancer. But he was successfully treated for it and eventually made his debut for Australia in 2011, thus making an entrance in the list of 10 cricketers who escaped death.

Andrew Flintoff : Drowning in the Caribbean

While the 2007 World Cup was in full flight, Andrew Flintoff decided to get drunk with some of his teammates right before a crucial game. Flintoff, who had been pretty famous for his binge drinking escapades popping up very often, had nearly drowned when the boat that was carrying them capsized. In a 2014 episode of the show 8 out of 10 cats, he later claimed that he was actually attempting to sail home in a pedalo. He further noted that he awoke on a beach – having been the worst place he had ever slept. Anyhow, this gets him a place in the list of 10 cricketers who escaped death.

Dinesh Chandimal : Tsunami

Srilanka’s popular batsman Dinesh Chandimal had been associated with the story of being a survivor of the deadly Tsunami that had brutally struck the Sri Lankan coasts back in 2004. The massive wave that hit the island nation that year, took his home, his cricket kits and everything else his family had along with it. Chandimal’s family was left absolutely wretched. Instead of lamenting over the tragedy that had hit them, they were able to relish the fact that it didn’t actually cause any casualties.

Michael Clarke : Skin Cancer

The next name in the list of 10 cricketers who escaped death will be of the former Australian captain, Michael Clarke. Back in 2006, he had a near escape with the fatal disease of cancer. Two patches on Clarke’s face were discovered to be affected by lethal cancerous tissues. The Aussie then had to undergo serious treatment. There were no further problems following the treatment, but the captain since then started donning the famous cropped hair look and also started frequently wearing the round hats  so that he could protect his face a bit more.

Muttiah Muralitharan : Tsunami

Muralitharan, had a really close shave with the waves like Dinesh Chandimal too. The most affected area in Sri Lanka was Galle, where even the popular cricket ground got completely washed away. Murali was fortunate enough to have escaped the monster waves as he was supposed to be guest at a children’s charity function at Galle that day. Muralitharan, who was accompanied by his brother, mother and his fiancee, were all on their way to Galle when they were warned to turn and head back to Colombo as the waves really began to rise.

Wasim Akram : Attacked by Gunman

Pakistani cricket legend Wasim Akram too narrowly escaped a hostile situation unhurt when a gunman opened incessant fire at his car in Karachi following a traffic collision, the player exclaimed. Akram, one of the greatest left-arm fast bowlers to ever adorn the game, was on his way that day to coach at a training camp right at the city’s National Stadium when the incident took place. “A car hit mine, I stopped him and then this guy stepped out and fired at my car,” said Akram after the incident.

Jesse Ryder :  Coma

In 2013, Ryder was in an incredibly critical condition at the Christchurch Hospital having been assaulted outside the Aikman’s Bar in Christchurch. It was  reported that 4 men in total were involved in the attack, which originated from the bar into the carpark spot of the McDonald’s restaurant right across the street. He suffered an intensely fractured skull with a collapsed lung and was put in a medically induced coma. However, doctors eventually announced that his skull had not really been fractured. In about a month’s time, two men were alleged and convicted with the assault, and Ryder was finally moved out of intensive care. That brings him to the list of 10 cricketers who escaped death.

Geoffrey Boycott : Throat Cancer

The former English cricketer, who is more famous for his classy commentary skill, had gone through a rough phase in his life. He was diagnosed with severe throat cancer in 2003 during India’s famous tour to England. The disease forced him completely to stop his favourite job, engaged as a commentator, for more than a year. In this phase, he underwent a total 35 radiotherapy sessions and was finally healthy and fit again. A year later, he was right back in the commentary box and has done his usual best.

Yuvraj Singh : Lung Cancer

A modern day fairy tale and one of cricket’s most known survival story, Yuvraj Singh stands tall at 2 in the list of 10 cricketers who escaped death. He was diagnosed with a serious cancerous tumor stage-1 in his left lung and underwent severe chemotherapy treatment at the Cancer Research Institute situated in Boston, USA as well as the Indiana University Melvin & Bren Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was taken cared of by famous oncologist Dr. Lawrence Einhorn. The cricketer finally beat the disease in style and made a fabulous comeback to the national squad.

Sri Lankan Team : Terrorist attack

Tragedy has a strange habit of finding its way to Sri Lankan players. 12 Gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus carrying the crucial team members near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore back in 2009. The cricketers were on their path to play the third day of their 2nd Test against Pakistan. Six important members of the Sri Lanka national cricket side were injured. Six Pakistani policemen and two civilians lost their lives. Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana were immediately hospitalized after the incident. While others had suffered minor injuries and shrapnel wounds.

More to add up in the ‘10 cricketers who escaped death‘. Feel free to let us know other names in the comments below.