Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi birth anniversary: Soha Ali Khan visited Melbourne Cricket Ground and recalled his iconic innings
L-Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kemmu with Inaaya; R- Tiger Pataudi at MCG
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi who was well-known as Tiger in the cricketing world passed away in 2011. While he may no longer be amongst us, his contribution to Indian cricket will always be remembered. On Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's birth anniversary today, his daughter, actor-author Soha Ali Khan took to Instagram to remember one of his iconic innings played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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Soha Ali Khan, who is currently holidaying in Australia with her husband actor Kunal Kemmu and daughter Inaaya, visited the Melbourne Cricket Ground on her father's birth anniversary. She said it was among the favorite places of her father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
Sharing pictures of the trio posing at the cricket ground and a picture of her father playing there, she wrote, "It seemed only fitting to remember and celebrate Abba on his birthday today by visiting one of his favourite places to play - The Melbourne Cricket Ground."
"He scored many test hundreds but many consider his finest innings, as good as any century, to be the 75 at the MCG in 1967-68. India was 25 for 5 when he came in to bat and he needed a runner because of a pulled hamstring - he couldn’t play his usual front-foot shots and hooked his way up to India totalling 162… his 75 that day made it to No. 14 in Wisden Asia Cricket’s list of the top 25 Indian test innings - “An innings played with one leg and one eye”. Happy birthday Abba," she added marking his birth anniversary with a remarkable anecdote.
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At the age of 21, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was made the captain of the Indian cricket team. Pataudi was also called the "best fielder in the world" of his time by commentator John Arlott and former England captain and contemporary, Ted Dexter. He is a recipient of the Arjuna Award, Padma Shri, and CK Nayudu Award.
In 1968, Pataudi married actress Sharmila Tagore. They had three children: Saif Ali Khan, a Bollywood actor, Saba Ali Khan, a jewellery designer, and Soha Ali Khan, a Bollywood actress, and author. The actress Kareena Kapoor Khan is his daughter-in-law, and the actress Sara Ali Khan is his granddaughter. Actor Kunal Kemmu is his son-in-law.