Colonel K. M. Mistri, the Grand Old Man of Indian cricket, died on July 22, 1959, at the age of 84. A brilliant stroke player, he was India's finest left-handed batsman. Nearly all Mistri's first-class cricket in India was played for the Parsecs in the annual Presidency matches, his first appearance being in 1893. These games were held in Bombay and Poona in the monsoon season, under conditions favourable to bowlers - and heavy scoring was at a premium. Mistri played many fine innings but a century eluded him, his highest score being 95 and he remains one of the best of all batsmen who failed to reach three figures in the highest class of cricket. He was also a very useful left-handed bowler and in the Presidency match of 1902 he took 13 wickets for 72 runs and in the following year 11 wickets for 68.

Mistri came to England in 1911 as a member of the first All India team, but his duties as A.D.C. to the Maharaja of Patlala limited his appearances to three matches. An innings of 78 against M.C.C. at Lord's was sufficient, however, to establish his reputation in this country. Mistri made several double centuries and other big scores for the Maharaja of Patiala's team in India, his highest score being 255 against Amballa in 1898, when he was associated with Ranjitsinhji in a partnership of 376 runs for the third wicket, Ranji scoring 257.

On his last appearance in first-class cricket Mistri, then over 50 years of age, captained All India at Bombay against A. E. R. Gilligan's M.C.C. team in 1926-27. Going in No. 9 he scored 51 and added 88 runs for the eighth wicket with D. B. Deodhar.

After his retirement he was chairman of the Indian Selection Conunittee for a short period and attended all the important matches in Bombay up to the time of his death.
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