Yusuf Pathan mourns demise of former first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji
Jun 13, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 13 : Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan on Saturday mourned the demise of former first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji, who passed away earlier today.
Raiji, India's oldest first-class cricketer, celebrated his 100th birthday this January with legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar and others.
Pathan said he was "deeply saddened" and expressed grief over the demise of Raiji.
"I was deeply saddened by the news of Vasant Raiji's passing. He was the world's oldest first-class cricketer and a historian. My heartfelt condolences to his family and dear ones," Pathan tweeted.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the demise of the former cricketer, who also happened to be a cricket historian.
When India played its maiden Test on home soil, Raiji, who was 13-year-old, managed to witness the historic match at the Bombay Gymkhana in 1932.
He later made his first-class debut for the Cricket Club of India against Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur in 1939. He played nine first-class matches and scored 277 runs with two fifties.
Raiji made his Bombay (now Mumbai) debut in 1941 and opened the innings under the captaincy of Vijay Merchant. The match ended in a draw with Bombay securing a first-innings lead.
He was a founding member of the Jolly Cricket Club in Mumbai and wrote books on former cricketers such as Ranjitsinhji, Duleepsinhji, Victor Trumper, CK Nayudu, and LP Jai. He also loved collecting books and memorabilia.
