>Kailash29792 at 09:55, 9 July 2021

2021-07-09T09:55:58Z

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{{short description|Indian cricketer}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Mehli Irani
| image = File:Mehli Irani.jpeg
| caption =
| alt = Headshot of man with grey hair and glasses
| country = India
| fullname = Mehli Dinshaw Irani
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|6|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bombay]], [[British Raj]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|4|3|1930|6|26|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Dubai]], United Arab Emirates
| heightft =
| heightinch =
| heightm =
| batting = Left-handed
| bowling =
| role = Batsman, [[wicket-keeper]]
| club1 = [[Mumbai cricket team|Bombay]]
| year1 = 1952–1953
| clubnumber1 =
| type1 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| columns = 1
| column1 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| matches1 = 4
| runs1 = 99
| bat avg1 = 19.80
| 100s/50s1 = 0/1
| top score1 = 68
| deliveries1 = 10
| wickets1 = 0
| bowl avg1 = –
| fivefor1 = –
| tenfor1 = –
| best bowling1 = –
| catches/stumpings1 = –/–
| date = 12 February
| year = 2018
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/29609.html ESPN Cricinfo
}}

'''Mehli Dinshaw Irani''' (26 June 1930 – 3 April 2021)<ref name=Times21/> was an Indian [[cricket]]er, who played as a left-handed batsman and [[wicket-keeper]]. Irani played in the [[Kanga Cricket League]] for over 50 years. He made one appearance for [[Bombay cricket team|Bombay]] in the [[Ranji Trophy]], and also played [[club cricket]] for [[Bombay University]] and Parsee Cyclists.

==Career==
Irani was a left-handed batsman and [[wicket-keeper]].<ref name=Express21>{{cite news| url= https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/cricket/2021/apr/05/mumbais-kanga-league-giant-mehli-irani-dead-2286074.html| title=Mumbai's 'Kanga League' giant Mehli Irani dead| work=[[The New Indian Express]]| date=5 April 2021| accessdate=5 April 2021}}</ref> He captained the [[St. Xavier's College, Mumbai|St. Xavier's College]] cricket team,<ref name=MD21/> and later played [[club cricket]] for [[Bombay Gymkhana]] and Parsee Cyclists.<ref name=Express21/><ref name=MD21>{{cite news| url= https://www.mid-day.com/amp/sports/cricket/article/goodbye-mehli-irani-former-mumbai-cricketer-passes-away-at-90-in-dubai-23166950| title=Goodbye, Mehli Irani! Former Mumbai cricketer passes away at 90 in Dubai| work=[[Mid-Day]]| date=5 April 2021| accessdate=5 April 2021}}</ref> At Bombay Gymkhana, Irani played alongside [[Rohan Gavaskar]], the son of [[Test cricket]]er [[Sunil Gavaskar]].<ref name=MD21/>

In December 1951, Irani played for [[Bombay University]] in a match against the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]]. In the match, he played alongside Madhusudan Patil, the father of Test cricketer [[Sandeep Patil]].<ref name=MD21/> In the 1952–53 season, Irani captained a Bombay University team that included five future [[Test cricket|Test match]] players: ([[Nari Contractor]], [[Naren Tamhane]], [[Chandrakant Patankar]], [[Gundibail Sunderam]] and [[Ramnath Kenny]]).<ref name=MD>{{cite news| url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/off-cutters-daily-mumbai-ranji-trophy-trivia/18702161| title= Off-Cutters Daily Mumbai Ranji Trophy Trivia| last=Murzello| first=Clayton| work=[[Mid-Day]]| date=2 November 2017| accessdate=12 February 2018}}</ref> In one match captained by Irani, five catches were dropped in the opening over.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/nari-contractor-recalls-how-five-catches-dropped-one-over| title= Nari Contractor recalls how five catches were dropped in one over| last=Saeed| first=Umaima| publisher=[[Sportskeeda]]| date=31 May 2017| accessdate=12 February 2018}}</ref> The Bombay University team won that year's Rohinta Barion Trophy, after defeating Delhi in the final.<ref name=Times21/><ref name=MD21/> In 1953, Irani made his only appearance in the [[Ranji Trophy]], playing for [[Bombay cricket team|Bombay]] in a match against [[Baroda cricket team|Baroda]].<ref name=ABP21>{{cite news| url=https://news.abplive.com/sports/cricket/mumbai-s-kanga-league-giant-mehli-irani-dead-1451648| title=Mumbai's 'Kanga League' Giant Mehli Irani Dead| work=[[ABP News]]| date=5 April 2021| accessdate=5 April 2021}}</ref> He was out [[Leg before wicket|lbw]] to [[Vijay Hazare]] for 17.<ref name=MD/><ref name=TOI>{{cite news| url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/new-zealand-in-india-2016/top-stories/Mehli-Irani-showed-the-light-for-others-to-shine/articleshow/16549540.cms?| title=Mehli Irani showed the light for others to shine| first=Makarand| last= Waingankar |work=[[The Times of India]]| date= 26 September 2012| accessdate=12 February 2018}}</ref><ref name=WI>{{cite web| url= https://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-article/fading-charm-kanga-league/125658| title= The fading charm of the Kanga League| last=Shetty| first=Disha| publisher=[[Wisden India]]| date=7 September 2014| accessdate=12 February 2018}}</ref> Irani's team-mate [[Shishir Hattangadi]] said that Irani was disappointed to have only ever played one Ranji Trophy match.<ref name=MD21/>

Irani played in the [[Kanga Cricket League]], a [[monsoon season]] cricket tournament, for 57 years,<ref name=Times12>{{cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/cycling/parsi-cyclists-played-to-enjoy/articleshow/12168161.cms| title=Parsi Cyclists played to enjoy| work=[[The Times of India]]| date= 7 March 2012| accessdate=5 April 2021}}</ref> starting in 1949.<ref name=TOI/><ref name=WI/> He described the difficulty of batting in the tournament: "A person who gets 30 or 40 runs is as good as getting a 50 or a 100 when you play on a dry wicket, the uncertainty of the wicket added to Kanga League’s beauty."<ref name=WI/> He played for Parsee Cyclists, and took over the captaincy of the side from Nari Contractor.<ref name=Times21/> In 1991, Irani [[stumped]] [[Sachin Tendulkar]] in a Kanga League match.<ref name=FPJ>{{cite news| url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/marathon-man-is-no-more-former-mumbai-cricketer-and-kanga-league-giant-mehli-irani-has-passed-away-in-dubai| title=Marathon man is no more: Former Mumbai cricketer and Kanga League giant Mehli Irani has passed away in Dubai| work=[[The Free Press Journal]]| date=5 April 2021| accessdate=6 April 2021}}</ref> Irani played as a [[wicket-keeper]] even in his 60s,<ref name=Times21/> before retiring from cricket at the age of 69.<ref name=Times12/>

==Personal life and death==
At Bombay Cricket Club, Irani was nicknamed the "centre table man".<ref name=FPJ/> Irani was married to Dhanu, and they had two daughters.<ref name=Times21>{{cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/kangas-marathon-man-mehli-irani-dead/articleshow/81906345.cms| title=Kanga's marathon man Mehli Irani dead| work=[[The Times of India]]| date=5 April 2021| accessdate=5 April 2021}}</ref> He continued to attend Bombay Gymkhana cricket matches even after his retirement,<ref name=MD21/> until he moved to [[Dubai]] in December 2020 to be near one of his daughters.<ref name=Times21/> Irani died on 3 April 2021 in Dubai,<ref name=Times21/> and his death was announced by the [[Mumbai Cricket Association]].<ref name=Express21/> His funeral was held the next day.<ref name=Times21/><ref name=ABP21/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/29609.html ESPN Cricinfo]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irani, Mehli}}
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Mumbai]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:St. Xavier's College, Mumbai alumni]]
[[Category:University of Mumbai people]]
[[Category:Deaths in the United Arab Emirates]]

Mehli Irani - Revision history

>Kailash29792 at 09:55, 9 July 2021