Hyderabadi Cricketer Dies of Cardiac Arrest While Playing Cricket in Saudi Arabia on World Heart Day

On World Heart Day, a 52-year-old Hyderabadi NRI residing in Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Atif Khan, tragically passed away while playing cricket in Rakha, Al Khobar. He collapsed due to a sudden cardiac arrest, despite initially appearing well during the match.

Atif Khan’s fellow players swiftly tried to assist him, but he was eventually taken to a nearby polyclinic and later a hospital, where he succumbed.

Dr. Abhijeet Vergees, a respected physician in Al Khobar, expressed that if CPR had been administered promptly, the outcome might have been different. He emphasized the critical importance of CPR, stating that it provides crucial chest compressions and rescue breaths, sustaining blood flow and oxygenation until professional medical help arrives, significantly enhancing chances of survival.

Medical professionals note an “alarming” increase in heart attacks and cardiovascular disease among young patients in the Gulf region, with the onset of these conditions occurring approximately 10-15 years earlier compared to other parts of the world. Tragically, Atif Khan is survived by his wife and three children, all residing in Hyderabad.