Diana Edulji Seeks Mumbai Cricket Association’s Help For Free Passes For Ind vs WI 3rd T20

It seems the cricket administration of the very city in which she was born and has spent a significant amount of her time playing cricket has thrown a slower but unorthodox-styled one at her that’s left this respected, 63-year-old cricket legend stumped.

Rather, let’s make it absolutely stumped, leaving her fumbling for answers- but the question is, will she get any?

Diana Edulji is not just any name in the context of Indian cricket. She’s one of the veterans of the sport, someone who represented the country in the women’s game long before the gender-narrative became even a thing to be ‘considered’, much of the sport and majority of its followers still identifying with the men’s game.

But make no mistake. Diana Edulji, a Test veteran, and someone who belongs to an era that made headlines long before the flamboyance of Smriti Mandhana or the panache of Veda Krishnamurthy even arrived is upset. Maybe, grieving, if it must be said? And truth be told, it seems the angst is clearly connected to the game she happened to represent and has been a part of, for the longest time in her life.

How surprising and even painful, it ought to be said, can be the feeling of not being given something one felt was due? Diana Edulji, in her letter to the Mumbai Cricket Association, has mentioned that she hasn’t received the complimentary passes for India vs West Indies final T20 international, a contest that’s actually about to undergo live at the Wankhede.

Perhaps rendered completely surprised by the outcome of Mumbai Cricket Association’s indifference- should it be called so- Diana Edulji has sought answers for what may not have been expected in the first place. In her letter, she also happened to explain that earlier, she used to receive complimentary passes from the MCA (Mumbai Cricket Association) for those matches that were held in Mumbai.

Understandably now, not being given something she felt was due, considering she’s represented the country for 15 long years, apart from being among the most respected cricketers is bound to have upset the mild-mannered former India cricketer, a veteran of 20 Tests and 34 ODIs.

News reports confirm that the letter was sent to the respected MCA in the form of an e-mail, delivered to MCA President- Vijay Patil.

The content of the e-mail, NDTV reported, shared:

I, Diana Edulji, former India women’s cricket captain, used to get two complimentary president box passes since the inception right up to the last IPL. Mr (Sharad)Pawar and Mr (Ashish) Shelar used to send the passes to my residence.

“You can check the records of all previous matches where you will find my name along with Sachin (Tendulkar), (Sunil) Gavaskar, Nari Contractor, (Dilip) Vengsarkar and late shri (Ajit) Wadekar.

“I am the only women’s team captain from Mumbai, thus was included. During the regime of Mr Ravi Sawant and the CoA MCA. I used to be given two passes for bilateral and IPL.

“I request you as President of MCA, please instruct that my name is restored and I am able to get my passes. Looking forward to hearing from you positively,” she said.

But that said, it remains to be seen whether the non-issuance of the complimentary passes to a legend of the sport is one of cricket’s most widely known administration taking a deliberate stand, therefore, indicating callousness or a one-off incident of negligence?