NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Raleigh, NC, December 26, 2025: The sudden death of Indian-origin amateur cricketer Nitin Murkute has left his family grappling with financial hardship and immigration uncertainty in the United States.
Murkute, 41, collapsed while playing a local league cricket match in North Carolina on December 13 and was later pronounced dead. A passionate cricketer, he was deeply involved in community-level cricket and was well known among fellow players in the region.
He was specifically associated with the Triangle Cricket League, a community-based league in the Triangle region of North Carolina encompassing Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Murkute played for the Morrisville Raptors, a team made up largely of Indian-origin professionals who participate in weekend league cricket.
Murkute is survived by his wife, Rashmi, and their two children—a teenage son and a younger daughter. The family’s situation has been made more precarious by Rashmi’s immigration status. She is a non-working H-4 dependent visa holder, a category that generally does not permit employment without special authorization.
According to community members familiar with the case, Murkute had recently purchased a home, and the family is now struggling to manage mortgage payments and daily expenses without his income. Friends say the loss has been devastating not only emotionally, but also financially, as Rashmi has no immediate means of earning an income in the U.S.
Following Murkute’s death, questions have also arisen about the family’s long-term immigration status. The death of a primary visa holder can complicate the legal standing of dependents, often forcing families to seek a change of status or consider returning to their home country.
In response, members of the local cricketing community and friends have come together to support the family. A fundraising campaign has been launched to help cover funeral expenses, household costs, and the children’s education. Organizers say the effort reflects the close-knit nature of the cricketing community and the broader diaspora.
