Former Singapore cricketer and coach Arjun Menon dies in Malawi

SINGAPORE – As a player and later on a coach, former national cricketer Arjun Menon’s passion for the sport was always evident. The love for the game and an eagerness to spread that affection for cricket took him on a journey spanning four continents.

But it reached a tragic end on May 10 in East African country Malawi, where Menon, 48, has been the operations manager of Cricket Malawi since February 2020.

In a press statement on May 11, Dr Henry Kamata, chief executive officer of Malawi’s National Council of Sports, said Menon was “brutally murdered” at his residence on May 10 and called on law enforcement authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

When contacted, Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) president Mahmood Gaznavi said he was deeply saddened by the news, adding that “reports emerging from Malawi seem to indicate that his life was taken by very dubious people”.

In a Facebook post, Nation Publications Limited which owns The Nation, a Malawi-based newspaper, said reports had indicated Menon was attacked by thugs in Blantyre.

It added that Menon was instrumental in Malawi cricket’s recent international success that led to the sport grabbing three accolades at the Malawi Sport Awards.

Gaznavi said that he last spoke to Menon about three months ago and added that he was a “very, very down to earth and measured guy who had a lot of love for the game”.

Gaznavi was inspired by how Menon used his strengths to advance the sport overseas and impact people’s lives at the same time.

“He used his knowledge to advance what he thought was the larger purpose in life, which was to help not just those in cricket, but those outside of cricket, especially the underprivileged,” said Gaznavi.

Menon first took up the game while he