After clinching three honours at awards night, Mumbai's best schoolboy cricketer suffers deep cut above left eye due to poor conditions at Azad Maidan; gets 20 stitches on left eyebrow
Pankaj Shaw comforts his son Prithvi at their residence in Santacruz (East) yesterday. Prithvi will be out of action for two weeks. Pic/Satyajit Desai.
Only on Wednesday, Rizvi Springfield (Bandra) all-rounder Prithvi Shaw won three Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) awards — Doosabhoy P Paul Trophy for being the highest scorer in an innings in Harris Shield tournament (546 runs), Ravi Ramkishore Sanwalka Shield for the best player in the Harris Shield (1060 runs) and the best player award (cash prize of Rs 1100 and a kit bag).
Pankaj Shaw comforts his son Prithvi at their residence in Santacruz (East) yesterday. Prithvi will be out of action for two weeks. Pic/Satyajit Desai.
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Little did he know that a day later, he would be injured and ruled out of action for two weeks. On Thursday, playing for Parel Sporting CC against Payyade Sports Club at Fort Vijay CC, Azad Maidan, the 14-year-old was struck by the ball on the forehead. The ball deflected off a stone while fielding during a Talim Shield match.
His father Pankaj, who was at Azad Maidan was shocked to see the deep cut his son suffered and rushed him to Lilavati Hospital, Bandra where he was given 20 stitches. Prithvi was discharged yesterday morning. Instead of enjoying the fruits of his labour on the inter-school scene, Mumbai cricket’s most talented schoolboy cricketer is down, disappointed and disturbed. The swelling around his left eye is too much to miss and according to his doctor, he will take two weeks to recover completely.
Bloody shirt
At his Santacruz (East) home, Prithvi revealed to mid-day how he suffered the injury: “I was fielding in the covers when I went to stop the ball. I didn’t notice what was lying ahead and suddenly, the seam hit me on my forehead.
“I injured my left eye. The next moment all I could see was my shirt wet with blood. I felt giddy. My father rushed me to hospital where I was given 20 stitches on my left eyebrow. I didn’t feel any pain yesterday, but I do now.”
His father, Pankaj, said his heart sank when he saw his son bleeding profusely. “At the start of the post lunch session, one of Prithvi’s teammates ran towards me to inform me about his injury.
Poor conditions
“When I reached Fort Vijay, Prithvi was lying on the ground. I went numb and didn’t know what to do. It is sad that the maidans are not maintained. It was his friend Agni Chopra who helped us rush him to Lilavati,”
said Pankaj.
Dr Shrirang Purohit, who attended to Prithvi, dispelled fears: “There is nothing to worry. It’s just a deep wound over his left eyebrow which we sutured. He should be normal soon.”
Coach livid
Prithvi’s coach from Virar — Santosh Pingulkar —was livid over poor conditions of the maidans. “There are broken beer bottles lying all over the ground which could be dangerous to anybody playing there.
“There are pebbles and trash which are never cleared even in the playing area. When MSSA conducts Harris and Giles Shield matches, they don’t organise to clear the playing area. Thankfully, Prithvi’s injury is not that serious,” said Pingulkar.
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