The county cricket fraternity in England is "devastated" by the untimely passing of Worcestershire's 20-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler Josh Baker.
Worcestershire County Cricket Club refused to reveal the cause of Baker's death and requested everyone to "respect" the privacy of his family during such a challenging period.
Former England spinner and the incumbent Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Worcestershire County Cricket Club, Ashley Giles, mourned the loss of a young and extremely consummate cricketer.
"The news of Josh’s passing has left us all devastated. Josh was much more than a teammate; he was an integral part of our cricket family. We will all miss him terribly. All our love and prayers go out to Josh’s family and friends," Giles was quoted as saying in a statement released by the club.
Baker was a budding allrounder who showed a lot of promise in both departments. He picked up 43 scalps in 22 first-class games and also bagged 24 wickets in 17 List-A matches.
The Redditch-born scored 411 runs in his first-class career with the help of two fifties. He had made his first-class debut for Worcestershire in July 2021.
The club is planning to pay homage to the cricketer and urged everyone to refrain from rumour-mongering amid the sensitive period.
"During this profoundly difficult time, the Club is dedicated to supporting Josh’s family, friends, and colleagues. We are united in our grief and committed to honouring his memory in a manner befitting the remarkable person he was.
"Plans to pay tribute to Josh will be made in consultation with his family and will remain private at this time. The Club, along with Josh’s family, requests the respect of privacy as we mourn this immense loss. No further comments will be provided during this sensitive period," the club said in a statement.
