Young cricketer commits suicide after being axed

A young Pakistani cricketer who had been a part of Karachi’s under-19 team allegedly hanged himself on Monday at his residence in Model Colony, reports Dawn newspaper.

It said Mohammad Zaryab, a student of grade 11, was reported by his family to have killed himself after losing his position in the national side because he had exceeded the age limit.

His father, Aamer Hanif — himself a cricketer who played for the national side in five ODIs — told Dawn News that the deceased had been upset over his exclusion from the team and had been under extreme pressure from his coaches.

The newspaper report said the aggrieved father urged cricket coaches to rethink their priorities and not exert undue pressure on young players.

Secretary Zone four Karachi Shamim Anwer, however, rejected the allegations that Zaryab was dropped from the team and was under pressure because of it, according to the report.

The newspaper quoted the police as saying that the family has not yet approached them for the filing of a case.

The cause of death will be ascertained following a post-mortem examination.