Parvaz Mirza

Worcestershire fast-medium bowler Parvaz Mirza, 24, died at his Birmingham home early on September 24, 1995, from a suspected heart attack, only a week after playing for his county in their final Sunday League match of the season. "We are devastated", said Worcestershire secretary Mike Vockins. "You don't really think of these things happening to a young man, especially a professional sportsman." A return of 7 for 58 in a 2nd XI match against Somerset II in 1993 earned Mirza a place on the staff at New Road, and he made his first-class debut in 1994, taking 4 for 29 against Oxford University at Worcester.

Born in Birmingham on Dec 17, 1970, he made his highest first-class score (40) in his first Championship match, against Kent at Canterbury, sharing a 10th-wicket stand of 102 with Richard Illingworth. In all he played nine first-class matches, scoring 86 runs (7.17) and taking 23 wickets (37.13), with a best of 5 for 110 against Derbyshire at Kidderminster in Aug 1995. He had become an important member of Worcestershire's successful one-day side. He played for Herefordshire in 1992.

His last game of cricket was at Weybridge, Surrey on September 20, when he took part in a benefit match for Worcestershire team-mate Neal Radford. The president of the local club, John Adams, said that Parvaz Mirza was "a really nice young man, with a lot of potential" and that he had looked in "very good health and spirits".
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack