An ex-Indian cricketer left his country to pursue his girlfriend, was banned in South Africa, but still rose to become a millionaire

To what extent can you go for love? Are you risking your career and risking your life? Or will you find a way to trick the government into going abroad in search of your soulmate? Would you give it all up and settle abroad with all the uncertainty of the world? Or are you prepared to be banned abroad?

Well, this former cricketer did all that.

Indian cricket is filled with some epic love stories. The legendary Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's marriage to Sharmila Tagore was the first of many fond associations between cricket and Bollywood, while Sourav Ganguly married his childhood sweetheart to prove that such stories exist in cricket too. Sachin Tendulkar's wedding to Anjali (then Mehta) was a private affair with only a handful of people invited, and years later, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma's wedding in Italy set the trend for wedding attire that wasn't all red and traditional.

But even the most romantic and classic love stories pale in comparison to what Mahalingam Venkatesan did to get along with the love of his life. Mali, as he is affectionately known, was a prominent figure in India's regional and domestic cricket circuit in the late 1970s and 1980s and took a risk that changed his life.

Mali played extensively in Chennai's first-class cricket circuit, mainly in lower division competitions. Among the teams he represented was Jolly Rovers, a club owned in its early days by India Cements. In 1978, he joined the State Bank of India team and toured Sri Lanka along with cricketers like Syed Kirmani and Mohinder Amarnath. However, a fateful encounter with love soon led him to make extraordinary and unexpected decisions.

“I met my wife Priscilla, a South African Indian. She had come to India in 1983. But when she went back, I had to find a way to chase her to South Africa. At that time, traveling was no longer an option.” It was not easy to travel to South Africa. But I got special permission from the Indian government and landed here the same year. I told them that I had a relative in South Africa whom I needed to visit through a blood relation and a common grandfather. At that time there were only paper visas. After I landed in Durban, when I called her and told her I was here, she couldn't believe it. She said, “You're lying.” I went to her workplace and said, 'Look, I'm here, all the way from India to meet you.'” Mali, 70, tells Hindustan Times in a candid conversation.

“My wife [then my girlfriend] and her sister had come to SBI to exchange money. India and West Indies played a Test match in Chennai. I took her to the game and the rest, as they say, is history. Something clicked that day and today she and I have been married for 38 years.”

When Mali reached base in South Africa, he was keen to pick up where he left off in India. At the time, South Africa's domestic set-up consisted of two boards, the Natal Cricket Association and the Natal Cricket Board, which operated during the apartheid era. Mali, of course, wanted to play cricket. Back in Tamil Nadu, he was an active player for the State Bank of India team. When he was only 24 or 25 years old, when he arrived in South Africa, he joined a local non-racial team. Mali also played in two league matches for the Pastorals in Durban's A-Division League, held in the Phoenix district.

Eventually, Mali got his break in the NCB and played a few matches under the name “Mahalingam Murali.” However, the situation came to an abrupt end. When his visa was about to expire, Mali applied for an extension, but complications arose. Someone who knew him contacted the ambassador to Zambia, who then contacted the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). His manager at SBI confronted him with the question: “How can you play in South Africa?” With little choice, Mali quietly returned to India, leaving Priscilla behind.

“I played four matches very well. The selectors were supposed to meet for the Benson and Hedges Tournament. I was selected, but before I could continue they found out that I am not from South Africa. And then they banned me .NCB said 'you can't play' because they felt that any player who wasn't from South Africa automatically supported them. So I went back to India. Africa played.' said Mali.

“I played more than 100 matches in the First Division. And in South Africa about 12 matches. I got 8/12 in a First Division match when I played for SBI. In an inter-regional match I got the wickets of GR Viswanath , Kirmani, Roger Binny, who represented Bangalore SBI in the Ramananda Rao Trophy It was sometime in the 80s that I even won matches with the bat It took 28 runs to win three overs, and I remained unbeaten on 26 and won the match. I scored 98 in a first division match.

Mali had the privilege of playing alongside cricket legends like GR Viswanath and Krishnamachari Srikkanth. In college, Srikkanth was his youngest, and Mali served as his vice-captain, with Cheeka affectionately calling him 'Andy Mali' (Indian Andy Roberts). As an opening bowler, Mali made a significant impact; in a memorable First Division match in Chennai, he took an impressive eight wickets for just 12 runs, dismissing a host of Ranji Trophy players.

The operation failed that changed Mali's life

Mali seemed destined for even greater success, but an unfortunate accident followed by a botched operation derailed his career and cost him several valuable years.

“I had a motorcycle accident. At that time there was no arthroscope. The doctors told me I needed surgery, but instead of removing the torn cartilage, they operated on my healthy cartilage in Chennai. After that, my knee was not more the same It was certainly limited by my career. Otherwise I would have played a lot more cricket. It affected my performance to such an extent that I would never be able to bowl as effectively again, but my knee would swell severely on Day 2 and Day 3. I could bowl a maximum of 20 overs, and from then on it was always a battle.

Mali and his wife now live happily in Durban

Mali's wife returned in 1986 and the two tied the knot that same year. They spent the next 15 years building their lives in South Africa. Mali retired from professional cricket in 2000, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. A quarter of a century later, Mali is a proud Protea that has achieved remarkable success. He ventured into the restaurant world and opened three locations in quick succession. Although he eventually parted ways with them, these business decisions proved very lucrative, allowing him to build a significant fortune.

“I have been in South Africa for the past 24 years. I am grateful to Mr. N Srinivasan and Kasi Viswanathan. When the IPL came to South Africa in 2009, they gave me the opportunity to help Chennai Super Kings. Srinivasan sir said , 'Kasi, Mali will be our guest forever'. Since then, CSK has been sponsoring my trip with his wife. I enjoy CSK's matches and travel all over India. In SA20 they appointed me as government official for Joburg Super Kings.”

“I don't regret it today. I have two sons aged 28 and 38. I will be 70 in May. I came here and started three restaurants. The first one was called Little India. They all came. After I quit, I opened two more restaurants called Palki and Mali's Indian Restaurant. Mali's did very well, but in 2019, when my son moved to Canada, I also gave up as director of three restaurants Rand, which amounts to about 1 crore in. INR.”

Now that his son is back in South Africa, Mali plans to restart his restaurant and offer this writer a free dinner.