The entire cricket community, sports fans and the public of the Maldives were shocked and saddened to learn about the sudden passing of our colleague and friend Madhih Ismail during the early hours of Tuesday 8th June in Malé City.
I spent over two decades with Madhih in the administration of cricket. He was our go-to guy. Always ready with a solution. As a hugely ‘hands-on’ person, Madhih was driven by a passion for sports; not just cricket, but all sports.
There were very few like him.
Madhih’s contribution to cricket was not just as an administrator. He was a manager and physiotherapist of the national team. He was a club administrator who always had a team or two competing in domestic tournaments every year.
We have lost a great servant of Maldives sport and we are immensely grateful that his work has contributed enormously to the shaping of ‘Maldives Cricket’ and, therefore affirms a legacy of achievements to current and succeeding generations of cricketers.
He is irreplaceable and will be missed always. I offer my deepest condolences to his family members and friends and to the whole sporting community in Maldives and beyond which have lost a devoted and clever giant.
May Allah Almighty grant him the highest place in Jannathul Firdaus and give strength to his family to bear this heavy loss. Aameen.
Each person that had a connection with Madhih will have a unique experience to remember over the years to come. At this mournful time, I have invited former Maldives Cricket Presidents to share their experiences with one of life’s truly distinctive characters.
Mohamed Faisal
President
Cricket Board of Maldives
Madhih Ismail was a kind hearted person and a man for all purposes at all levels of society. He was first introduced to me at the Cricket Board of Maldives as the then physio to the national men’s cricket squad.
From that time, I have witnessed his high rate of activity in many aspects of cricket. In particular, he was a powerful advocate of cricket development and introduced his club M.S. Helping Hands Sports Academy to participate in various cricket events around the Maldives.
It is fitting that he was a member of our Executive Committee in 2010, that witnessed Maldives greatest success on the international cricket stage – the sport that he served with passion and commitment from 2008 to 2020. Culminating, in the year I retired (2016) from cricket administration Madhih joined the highest levels, by being elected the Vice President of the Cricket Board of Maldives.
Madhihs’ community involvement went beyond the cricket field as he was also extremely active in other sports and humanitarian related activities – and this reading these words will no doubt have seen or experienced him in a wide variety of undertakings.
Whilst on one of his many educational courses undertaken, he witnessed the development of biking activities in Indonesia and shared his experience with me and encouraged us to write a concept paper on the development of ‘Bike Maldives’, in which he became a co- founder.
His sudden departure is a shock to my family and I as he is a close and valued friend in our hearts and is always a ‘yes man’ in all our work achieved together throughout his life.
We live with his fond memories and he will be missed so badly. I learned a lot from his ‘yes can do’ approach.
May Allah bless his soul. RIP.
Ahmed Hassan Didi
President
Cricket Board of Maldives 2008 – 2016
I was profoundly saddened by the untimely passing of my dear friend, fellow colleague and our former Vice President, Madhih Ismail.
Madhih was trustworthy, humorous, and always had time to meet up. He was not just a colleague but more like a brother. He had always backed me up and supported me even during the most testing times during our 4-year term. He stood up tall with me, and always believed in me.
Madhih was very passionate about his work, He brought order and purpose to whatever he did, getting things done quietly, without fanfare, with steadiness in his role as a sports administrator and educator par excellence.
During his time as the Vice President of CBM he had devised great solutions and ideas for cricket development. His unwavering commitment and dedication to the game has no doubt contributed to the many successes achieved in the past locally and internationally.
One of the finest sports administrators Maldives has produced, he was an example for the sports fraternity throughout the country who simply cannot be substituted.
Madhih’s character, spirit and immense contributions will be cherished for many years to come by the cricketing family and sports community in Maldives.
Words cannot express how saddened I am to know he has gone too soon.
May Allah bless Madhihs’ soul and grant him Jannathul Firdaus. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Aameen.
Mohamed Aflah
President
Cricket Board of Maldives 2016 – 2020
