South African bowler Mondli Khumalo in serious condition after assault outside UK pub

Former South African Under-19 bowler Mondli Khumalo is in an induced coma in Bristol after being assaulted outside a pub in Bridgwater on Saturday night. Khumalo has suffered bleeding on the brain and has had two operations thus far. He remains in a serious condition. A 27-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Khumalo, 20, is contracted to Kwa-Zulu Natal Inland in South Africa, and is on his first overseas stint as a professional for North Petherton Cricket Club. The team was out celebrating a victory last weekend when the incident took place. ESPNcricinfo understands that Khumalo was unconscious at the scene and received emergency medical treatment at Southmead Hospital. It is not yet known what Khumalo's long-term prognosis is.

North Petherton Cricket Club and Khumalo's agent, Rob Humphries, have begun work on assisting the Khumalo family, especially Mondli's mother, to obtain a passport to travel to the United Kingdom to be with him. "Mondli is such a gentle guy. His mom just can't understand how something like this could have happened to him," Humphries told ESPNcricinfo. "And everyone at North Petherton just adores him. He is a genuinely lovely kid. He was having a really good time here. He had bowled really well and he had become such a wonderful part of the club."

Khumalo represented South Africa U-19 at the 2020 World Cup, has four first-class caps and received a high-performance contract from Kwa-Zulu Natal Inland for the 2022-2023 season.

Though Khumalo's medical bills while he is in hospital are covered, it is not known whether he will need further treatment in future. North Petherton have set up a crowdfunder page in his name to assist in any way needed.