Tamil Nadu cricketer PK Dharma dies at 20

PK Dharma, a Tamil Nadu cricketer, has died at the age of 20. Police say they suspect it to be a case of suicide.

Dharma, who has played two List A matches for Tamil Nadu, was found hanging in his house in Chennai on Sunday afternoon, according to reports. The day before, he'd played a three-day Tamil Nadu Cricketers' Association first-division final for his club, Globe Trotters, against Vijay CC at the Chidambaram Stadium.

"He was a promising youngster who turned into a fine allrounder," Sridharan Sriram, who has played for India and is captain of the Globe Trotters team, was quoted as saying by Times of India. "We [team members] didn't know much about his personal life, but this was an extreme step. It is a sad moment for us all."

"I have seen his development over the past five or six years. In these days of the IPL and the opportunity that it offers to domestic cricketers, I was expecting Dharma to make a mark for himself," former Tamil Nadu batsman M Senthilnathan, who is the Globe Trotters coach, said.

Dharma, who made his List A debut in February 2011, made it to the limited-overs team after an injury to L Balaji. "I was injured and he replaced me," Balaji, who led Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy last season, said. "I haven't played alongside him but from whatever I have seen of him, the boy had promise."

"He was an upcoming player, this is very unfortunate and a loss to Tamil Nadu cricket," Kasi Viswanathan, the TNCA secretary, said.