INDIA'S ONFIELD CRICKETING TRAGEDY

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RAMAN LAMBA
(2 Jan 1960 – 23 Feb 1998)

Cricket, once the gentleman's game, could undoubtedly be potentially perilous as well. It is not without reason that helmets and seatbelts are made mandatory for motorists irrespective of the travel distance or terrain; likewise the protection for batsmen and close in fielders in cricket too, be it just the one delivery or the entire match. India has witnessed a close shave (Bridgetown) and a tragedy (Dhaka) on the cricket field...

Meerut born Raman Lamba Kushal was an exceptionally fit and athletic cricketer of the 1980’s, well adored in the domestic circuits of India, Bangladesh, Ireland and England, who unfortunately lowered his guard on that fateful day, 25 years ago...

A flamboyantly aggressive and enthralling if not technically correct, Lamba was a right handed opening batsman whose international career didn't quite touch the heights as one would have expected. With promising ODI and Test starts against Australia and Sri Lanka respectively, Lamba lost out on his consistency and unfortunately his slot in the Indian team as well in just three years time...

Lamba made his Test debut in December 1986 at Kanpur against Sri Lanka. His last Test was at New Delhi in November 1987 against West Indies. His ODI debut was in September 1986 at Jaipur against Australia, and the last game in December 1989 at Lahore against Pakistan...

Lamba played 4 Tests scoring 102 runs @20.40 with just a fifty (53) and 5 catches. He played 32 ODIs scoring 783 runs @27.00 with 1 hundred(102) and 6 fifties and 10 catches. Needless to say, these figures fail to do justice to his prowess...

However Lamba had a commendable domestic record. In 121 first class games he scored 8776 runs @53.86 with 31 centuries and 27 fifties, 320 as highest, and 60 catches...

Lamba has quite a few achievements to his name. He has 5 double and 2 triple centuries. His 312 in Ranji Trophy (1994/95) against Himachal Pradesh is among the highest individual scores for Delhi. His 320 in the 1986/87 Duleep Trophy final against West Zone still tops the list. His aggregate of 1034 runs in 10 matches in 1994/95 at an average of 73.86 with 3 centuries and 4 half-centuries was a Ranji Trophy season record. In the same season he led Delhi in 8 games, winning 3 and drawing the rest...

The gregarious and self-confident Lamba subsequently settled to play club cricket, first in Ireland and then in Bangladesh. It can be said that Lamba was one of the early pioneers of cricket in Bangladesh, who were knocking the doors of Test status at that time...

Beginning his first class career in 1980/81, Lamba represented Delhi and North Zone till the 1997/98 season.
Overseas, he played for Sonnet Club, Ireland (1990-92) and joined Abahani Krira Chakra, Dhaka from 1992...

Lamba passed away under tragic circumstances in Dhaka, this day in 1998, having been felled three days prior by the cricket ball hitting his temple after the batsman's pull-shot, he being positioned helmet-less at forward short leg. Though the injury did not appear to be particularly serious with Lamba quickly ambling into the pavilion, he subsequently went into a coma, never to return...

An epitome of commitment, passion and fearlessness was prematurely snatched away. With tributes pouring in from all over the world, the most moving one was from Mrs. Kim Lamba, an Irish national, as she put the cap of his local team, Sonnet Club, on Lamba. She, with the children Jasmyn and Kamran, subsequently settled down in Portugal...

Cricket writer Vijay Lokpally said in his tribute -
"He always dressed young, thought young and played young. Alas, he died young."

One of the dressing rooms of DDCA's new pavilion is dedicated in memory of one of Delhi's greats, Raman Lamba Kushal...


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