The 25-year-old Test batsman was hit on the head by a Sean Abbott delivery during his South Australia side's Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales.
He was resuscitated on the boundary at the Sydney Cricket Ground and taken in a critical condition to St Vincent's hospital, where doctors decided to operate.
Team-mates and family members visited the hospital as Hughes lay in an induced coma in an intensive-care unit but he never regained consciousness and died on Thursday.
"It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away," read a statement from Cricket Australia doctor Peter Brukner.
"He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday.
"He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.
"As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time.
"Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected."
Hughes played 52 times for his country in all formats, making 26 Test appearances, the last of which came in an Ashes Test at Lord's in 2013.
The left-hander scored three Test centuries - two of them in the same match as a 20-year-old on just his second appearance.
He was the first Australian to make a hundred on his one-day international debut, against Sri Lanka in 2013, and also had spells as an overseas player in England with Middlesex, Hampshire and Worcestershire.
Hughes had been widely tipped for a Test recall during Australia's forthcoming series against India. He was unbeaten on 63 in his final innings.
News of the tragedy led to an outpouring of grief from cricket figures in Australia and around the world.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann, former fast bowler Brett Lee and current all-rounder Steve Smith were among those who paid tribute to Hughes on Twitter.
The England team, who are currently on tour in Sri Lanka, also released a statement which read: "Our deepest sympathies go out to Phil Hughes' family, friends and teammates at this incredibly sad time.
"Phil was admired and respected by all he played with and against and will never be forgotten by the cricket community."
The safety of cricket will likely come under renewed focus following the tragedy but Sky Sports pundits Mike Atherton and Andrew Strauss both believe the game does not generally expose players to great danger.
"That (safety) will be the focus in the coming days but I suppose the first thing to say is that it's an incredibly safe game," Atherton told Sky Sports News HQ.
"That might sound an odd thing to say when a young man has died on the field but fundamentally it's a safe game."
Strauss said: "The protection in the game of cricket has never been better than it is today."
source: skysport.com
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