Imran invited to deliver lecture in Mumbai

MUMBAI Former Pakistani captain, Imran Khan will deliver the lecture during the third Dilip Sardesai Memorial Lecture in Mumbai next month, revealed by Sadesai's wife Nandini. "We have invited Imran Khan to deliver the lecture this year and are waiting for the confirmation from his date", she said. Dilip Sardesai died in Mumbai due to chest infection in 2007. To mark his services, great former players are being invited every year on his death anniversary on July 2. "We could not get Imran's date in this month and are now trying to invite him on August 8 (Sardesai's birth anniversary)", the source close to the family added. Sunil Gavaskar was the first to deliver lecture in 2009 and Bishan Bedi was invited last year. Imran Khan started his Test career at the time when Sardesai was on the verge of his retirement. Sardesai was very successful on West Indies tour in 1970-71. His 642 runs in the series stood as an Indian record for five days before Sunil Gavaskar surpassed it. It was India's first victory over West Indies in a series and Vijay Merchant, the chairman of selectors, called Sardesai the "renaissance man of Indian cricket". 'Sardee-man', as he was being often called, Sardesai was asked on his arrival at the Mumbai airport whether he had anything to declare.