For cricket aficionados, here’s a rare scorecard from November 1945 featuring a match between the Indian princes (Princes XI) and the Australian Services XI in Delhi. This scorecard comes from someone who attended the game and, remarkably, preserved newspaper clippings of the first innings as well (see below)!
The Australian Services XI was composed of military personnel stationed in India after the war, including A. L. Hassett and Keith Miller, both of whom would go on to enjoy stellar careers with the Australian national team. They faced off against Indian cricketing legends such as C. K. Nayudu, Lala Amarnath, Vijay Hazare, and Mushtaq Ali, among others.
The purpose of the Delhi match was to raise money for charity and to help revive the public image of cricket after its wartime hiatus. The Australian Services team was on its way home, with its itinerary including stops in several imperial cities. Of course, the apparent ‘normalcy’ of the cricket game must be read against the backdrop of the heated debates about India’s future and impending independence in the aftermath of the war.
Here are some more pictures:
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