Junaid Zafar Khan, a club cricketer in Adelaide, has died after collapsing on the field during a match played in extreme heat. Khan, who was in his 40s, was representing Old Concordia against Prince Alfred Old Collegians at Concordia College Oval on Saturday when he suffered a medical episode around 4 pm ACDT. Despite paramedics’ efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded temperatures above 40°C at the time. Adelaide Turf Cricket Association bylaws require matches to be cancelled if temperatures exceed 42°C, but games can continue with modifications in up to 40°C heat.
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The Old Concordians Cricket Club confirmed Khan’s passing in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of a valued member of the Old Concordians’ Cricket Club, who tragically suffered a medical episode while playing on the Concordia College oval today. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he sadly did not survive. Thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
Khan moved to Adelaide from Pakistan in 2013 to work in the tech industry. His friends and fellow players remembered him as a kind and generous person. “It’s a huge loss; he was destined for very big things in his life,” said his friend and teammate Hasan Anjum. Another close friend, Najam Hassan, described him as a “gem of a person.” The incident comes as a severe heatwave continues to affect South Australia and other parts of the country.
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