In memoriam: Notable deaths in cricket in 2022

The year 2022 saw several notable cricketing figures leave us due to their untimely deaths. We list the name of people whose sudden deaths left the cricketing fraternity in deep sorrow.

Rodney Marsh

Australia were in mourning after the demise of their former wicketkeeper-batter in March at the age of 74, eight days after suffering a heart attack in Adelaide. Rod Marsh was widely regarded as the best wicketkeeper of his generation as he finished with the then-record, 355 dismissals for Australia in 96 Tests. After his retirement from the game, he served as both a coach and director at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide. He was appointed chairman of selectors for Cricket Australia in 2014, a role he relinquished after a series defeat to South Africa in 2016.

Shane Warne

A few hours after the death of Rod Marsh, the entire cricketing world was rocked as news emerged of the shocking demise of legendary leg spinner Shane Warne. Warne was holidaying in Thailand when he succumbed to a suspected heart attack. The 52-year-old was arguably the greatest spinner to ever play the game, possessing magical abilities in his wrists. He finished his career with 708 Test wickets to his name, the most by an Australian and the second most by a bowler overall.

Andrew Symonds

The trifecta of heartbreaks for Australia culminated after another shocking demise of one of their great characters, Andrew Symonds, in May 2022. The 46-year-old passed away after meeting a fatal accident just a few miles away from his hometown in Queensland. The strongly built cricketer was one of the core members of the all-conquering Australian team under Ricky Ponting that won back-to-back world titles in 2003 and 2007.

Rudi Koertzen

Former South African umpire Rudi Koertzen passed away in August. The 73-year-old was also a victim of a fatal car crash that resulted in the death of three other people in Riversdale. Koertzen was one of the most revered names in the cricketing fraternity during his umpiring career and finished holding the record for standing in most international matches by the time he retired in 2010.

Asad Rauf

Former Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf is another prominent umpiring figure who passed away in 2022. Once a member of the ICC Elite Umpire Panel, Rauf succumbed to cardiac arrest at 66. Rauf’s career was surrounded by several controversies and was eventually tainted after he was found guilty for corruption and was banned for five years. He had completely secluded himself from the game before his demise in his hometown Lahore, where he operated a shoe shop.