BCCI umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj was reportedly admitted to an Intensive Care Unit after being struck on the side of his face by a powerful straight drive during a Delhi Premier League 2026 match.
The incident occurred during the clash between East Delhi Riders and New Delhi Tigers, when Lakshay Thareja's shot off Ashish Meena's bowling flew straight towards Bhardwaj. The umpire attempted to get out of the way, but the ball reached him before he could clear its path.
According to reports circulating after the match, Bhardwaj was taken to hospital for medical assessment and was later placed under observation in the ICU.
The incident took place during the 18th over of New Delhi Tigers' chase.
Thareja connected cleanly with a straight drive against Meena, sending the ball back towards the umpire at considerable pace. Bhardwaj was directly in its trajectory and had very little time to react.
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The commentators noted that it was reportedly the second time Bhardwaj had been struck by the ball during the match. Given that the latest blow landed around the side of his face and jaw, they stressed the need for medical checks.
The severity of the incident quickly became apparent as Bhardwaj was taken off for medical attention.
A post attributed to CricBlogger on X claimed that Bhardwaj was hit below the jaw and was subsequently admitted to the ICU, where doctors were monitoring his vital parameters.
“BCCI umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj was hit below the jaw while officiating the DPL match. The umpire is currently in the ICU, where doctors are monitoring his vital parameters.”
There has been no official medical update from the BCCI or the Delhi Premier League cited in the reports available at the time of writing.
The incident has once again highlighted the risks faced by umpires in T20 cricket, where batters frequently attack the ball at high speed and officials standing close to the stumps have very little reaction time.
Helmet a must for T20 umpires:
— CricBlogger (@Indranilcricket) August 17, 2026
BCCI umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj was hit below the jaw while officiating the DPL match The umpire is currently in the ICU, where doctors are monitoring his vital parameters.
The worrying incident came during a match that otherwise ended in a much-needed victory for East Delhi Riders.
East Delhi posted 192/7 after being put into bat, with Mayank Rawat leading the scoring with 40 off 23 balls. Ansh Mehra added 35 off 21, while Suryansh Raina and Arpit Rana contributed 33 each.
New Delhi Tigers struggled in the chase and were bowled out for 156 in 19.2 overs, handing East Delhi a 36-run victory.
Mayank Yadav produced the standout bowling performance of the match, finishing with 3/15 from his four overs, including a maiden.
The fast bowler's spell helped East Delhi defend their total and earned him the Player of the Match award.
The victory also ended East Delhi Riders' six-match losing streak and opened their points account in the ongoing DPL 2026 season.
The focus, however, remained on Bhardwaj's condition following the alarming blow. Further updates on the umpire's health are awaited.
