Watch: 26-year-old cricketer dies while playing a match in UP ahead of Indian Premier League 2026

A tragic incident in Uttar Pradesh has shocked the local cricket community after a man died while playing the sport he loved. The incident happened in Shahjahanpur, where a player suddenly collapsed during a match on Saturday. Reports say he looked uncomfortable while batting shortly before the incident.

Friends at the ground said the player, Sonal Chandra, had finished batting and was walking back when he suddenly fell down. People nearby quickly understood the situation and rushed him to a nearby hospital. He was treated for about 40 minutes, but his condition became worse. He was then referred to another hospital in Bareilly, where doctors declared him dead.

Instead of giving CPR at the ground, he was taken to the hospital for first aid. Before he could be admitted to a hospital in Bareilly, he suffered another heart attack, which led to his death. A video of the match is also going viral, showing him looking uneasy while batting.

Sonal Chandra, aged 32, lived in Adarshnagar Colony in Roza. He worked as a teacher at Rana Public School in Nigohi. As it was a holiday for Eid, he had come to the stadium to play the match. While batting for his team, he felt some discomfort but thought it was normal.

Watch the video here:

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Tragic Loss Shocks Local Cricket Community

Witnesses said that Sonal Chandra was also recording himself during the match. The video shows moments just before he fell ill, which made the incident even more shocking for people who watched it later.

Friends described him as a passionate cricketer who had played more than 100 matches and was also a trained umpire. He was the only child of his parents and the main earner of the family, which makes his death even more heartbreaking.

After scoring 33 runs, Sonal was out and walked off the field. Soon after, his condition became worse and he fell unconscious. His teammates did not understand that he had suffered a heart attack. They tried to help him and took him to OCF Hospital.

He was later shifted to a private hospital, but his condition did not improve. Doctors said his condition was critical and advised taking him to a medical college in Bareilly. While being taken there, he suffered another heart attack. When he reached the hospital, doctors declared him dead.

Sonal’s father, Mahesh Chandra, was a BSF commandant who lost his life in 1992 in Ganganagar, Rajasthan. After that, his mother, Sunita, raised him in Adarsh Nagar Colony. Family members said that Sonal was not married.

 List of Uttar Pradesh Players in IPL 2026