Diana Edulji, Cricketer, Sports Administrator
Cricketer, Sports Administrator

Diana Edulji

Born 26 January 1956 · Maharashtra

Played 20 Test matches for India and captained the women's cricket team in the 1980s.

Diana Edulji is an Indian former cricketer. Born in Mumbai to a Parsi family, she was drawn to sports at an early age. She grew up playing cricket with a tennis ball in the railway colony where she lived. She then went on to play basketball and table tennis at the junior national level, before switching to cricket.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Diana Edulji holds the record for delivering the most balls by any woman cricketer in Women's Test history, bowling over 5,098 deliveries.

The Story

1
🎾 In the 1960s Mumbai railway colony where Diana Edulji grew up, she played cricket with a tennis ball alongside boys, a setting that shaped her unconventional entry into Indian cricket.
2
At a junior national level, Edulji competed in basketball and table tennis before committing fully to cricket, showcasing her multi-sport talent by the early 1970s.
3In 1975, Diana made her international debut against New Zealand, marking the start of a cricket career that would see her deliver over 5,000 balls in Women's Test matches, a record that still stands.
4🌟 By 1978, Edulji captained the Indian women's cricket team, steering them through international tours including a memorable 1986 England tour where she was denied entry to Lord's Pavilion, humorously calling the MCC "male chauvinist pigs."

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Shri

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1986, while captaining India on the England tour, Diana Edulji was refused entry to the prestigious Lord's Pavilion, an incident that sparked her famous quip against the MCC's male exclusivity.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Mumbai
Diana Edulji was born in Mumbai into a Parsi family, beginning her life in a city central to Indian cricket history.
1956
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Career
International cricket debut
Edulji made her debut for the Indian women's cricket team, starting her international career.
1975
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Career
Appointed team captain
Diana Edulji became captain of the Indian women's cricket team, leading them through multiple international series.
1978
🏅
Award
Arjuna Award received
Edulji was honored with the Arjuna Award, India's premier sports award, recognizing her on-field achievements.
1983
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Career
Denied Lord's Pavilion entry
During the England tour, Edulji was refused entry to Lord's Pavilion, an incident that highlighted gender discrimination in cricket.
1986
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Shri
The Government of India awarded Edulji the Padma Shri for her contributions to Indian sports.
2002
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Career
Appointed to BCCI panel
The Supreme Court appointed Diana Edulji to the BCCI administrative panel, making her the first woman on the selection committee.
2017
🏅
Award
Inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
Diana Edulji was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing her impact on global women's cricket.
2023
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Edulji bowled 5,098 deliveries in Women's Test cricket, the highest number ever recorded by a woman in the format, illustrating unmatched endurance and skill over her 17-year career.

02 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Despite excelling in cricket, Diana represented India in basketball and table tennis at the junior national level before fully committing to cricket in the early 1970s.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

She was the first Indian woman cricketer ever to be awarded a benefit match, setting a precedent for financial recognition of female athletes in India.

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"The MCC should change its name to MCP — male chauvinist pigs."

— Diana Edulji

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Conflict of Interest Rules Have to be Followed: Diana Edulji After BCCI Meeting | The Quint

🌱 What changed because of them

Diana Edulji's career redefined the role of women in Indian cricket by setting performance records and challenging institutional sexism, notably through her leadership and candid criticism of cricket authorities. Her appointment to the BCCI selection panel in 2017 broke a decades-old gender barrier in cricket administration, paving the way for increased female representation in sports governance. Her induction into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2023 cemented her influence on the global stage, inspiring a new generation of female cricketers.

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💭 Memories & Tributes

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