On a morning of 25th November, 2014, a regular Sheffield Shield 2014/15 season match was going on between New South Wales and South Australia. Many players from the Australian International squad were playing which included Shane Watson, David Warner, Brad Haddin, Nathan Lyon, Doug Bollinger and Mitcell Starc for NSW. Out came to bat Phillip Hughes for SA, captained by Johan Botha. Just another game right? Yeah, just another Cricket match.

SA start off with a good partnership at the top giving them a 61-run stand until they lost one of their opening partners. In came Callum Ferguson, who was later dismissed when the score was on 122. Another 50 plus partnership with an experienced opening batsman still at the crease, Hughes. Just another see saw battle early into a first-class match right? Yeah, just another typical 4-day game.

At this time, Hughes must be having all kinds of thoughts to stay at the crease and guide the innings for his side. More importantly, he has to put his name as the first choice to replace the injured Michael Clarke for first Test against India starting next week. Hughes must be wishing, “If somehow I can see through the next hour even if I don’t score a lot, I will be on my way to score a big century.” He leaves the short balls alone just so that he doesn’t risk giving his wicket away. He plays away a couple of maiden overs of Lyon and one maiden from a relatively inexperienced bowler, Sean Abbott. Just another batsman stabilizing the ship of his team and trying his all to come back to the International side right? Yeah, just another struggle someone is making to make amends.

The 49th over of the day begins and Hughes is on strike. He blocks the first one out and picks an easy couple of the 48.2nd ball of the innings. He gets on 63* and gets ready to face the ball again from Abbott. Hughes must be thinking in his head, “Two wickets have fallen and I have got a start. In fact, I have got a fifty and I am looking pretty solid. I can do this! A few more hours at the crease and I will then be done away with my part.” Just another batsman picking some runs and feeling more confident right? Yeah, just another batsmen edging towards his century.

He stands at the wicket to face the third ball of the over from Abbott. He probably might also be thinking about the things he has to do after the day’s play, or after the match, after this month or hell after ten years of playing Cricket. With all the considerations in his head, he gets a short one from Abbott and might be thinking, “I have been leaving those all day but I think this one is slower than the others. Let’s have a go at it. I got this!” Hughes attempts the pull shot, misjudges the pace of the ball and gets hit at the backside of his head. Just another batsman getting hit while playing the short right? Yeah, just another batsman, but this time the batsman stood there for a second or two, then falls with face first into the ground.

All the thoughts, all the plans, all the aspirations, all the dreams come to a halt and everything blacks out. One can only imagine how painful it would have felt for Hughes to lose everything in a glimpse of a second. Hughes must have seen things vanishing instantaneously from his sight and he left this world. It is utterly sad to even think about the fact that on the morning of 25th, he must have left his place to play a game of Cricket but unfortunately he will never return back to that place.

Although, Pakistan is 9000 km apart from Australia, the atmosphere has been gloomy here since this morning after this tragic news. Rest in Peace Phillip Hughes. As it is being rightly said, “You will remain 63* forever.”

This article has been written by Nix who tweets @nabilzcricnix