The Irani Trophy, also known as the Z R Irani Trophy, is an annual one-off First-Class cricket match organised by the BCCI and contested each season by the reigning Ranji Trophy champions and a multi-state RoI team composed of players from the other state teams. The inaugural edition was played in March 1960 as a special event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Ranji Trophy. It was intended to be a one-off match but, in 1962, BCCI decided to institute it as annual fixture and it has been played in most seasons since 1962–63. BCCI named the Irani Trophy after Zal R. Irani, their long-serving president and treasurer, who was a significant figure in the organisation from its inception in 1928, till his death in 1970.

History

The first match between the Ranji Trophy champions and the Rest of India was played in 1959–60. It was intended to be a one-off event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Ranji Trophy. In 1962, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to resurrect it as an annual event, although it did not take place in 1964–65. The trophy was named in honour of Zal R. Irani, who was a long time treasurer and president of BCCI, and a keen patron of the game. The first three matches were played towards the end of the season but then, having recognised the fixture's prestige, BCCI moved it to the beginning of the season and, from 1965–66 to 2012–13, it traditionally heralded the start of each new domestic season.

In 2013, the fixture was moved to a date immediately after the Ranji Trophy final, resulting in there being two Irani Cup matches in the 2012/13 season. The fixture has since remained at the end of the season, and is played shortly after the Ranji Trophy final. Two matches were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, in 2022, BCCI decided to organise two editions back-to-back. These were the 2019–20 and 2022–23 matches, which were played at Rajkot and Indore respectively.

Results

The following table lists the results of all Irani Trophy matches. The source shows that ROI have taken part in all 61 matches to the most recent in October 2023, winning 26 with 25 losses and eight draws. By far the most appearances by a single state side is 29 by Mumbai, who have won the trophy twelve times. Karnataka have played in eight matches, winning six; and Delhi in seven, winning two. Four teams have appeared twice: Railways (two wins); Vidarbha (two draws); Rajasthan (two defeats); and Saurashtra (two defeats). Another nine teams have appeared once.

SeasonVenueWinnerRunner-upResultNotesRefs
1959–60Karnail Singh Stadium, DelhiMumbaiRest of Indiamatch drawnThe inaugural match was meant to be a one-off event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Ranji Trophy. Bombay won the drawn game by achieving first innings lead. Three Test batsmen — Polly Umrigar, Nari Contractor, and M. L. Jaisimha — scored centuries in the match.
1960–61no competition
1961–62
1962–63Brabourne StadiumMumbaiRest of Indiamatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1963–64Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Stadium109 runs
1964–65no competition
1965–66Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Chennai)—N/a—N/amatch drawnAlthough this match was drawn, the first innings lead tie-break rule could not be enforced since both first innings were not completed. Bombay and Rest of India shared the trophy.
1966–67Eden GardensRest of IndiaMumbai6 wickets
1967–68Brabourne StadiumMumbaiRest of Indiamatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1968–69Rest of IndiaMumbai119 runs
1969–70Pune Club GroundMumbaiRest of Indiamatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1970–71Eden Gardensmatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1971–72Brabourne StadiumRest of IndiaMumbai119 runs
1972–73Nehru Stadium, PuneMumbaiRest of India220 runs
1973–74M. Chinnaswamy StadiumRest of IndiaMumbaimatch drawnRest of India won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1974–75Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, NavrangpuraKarnatakaRest of Indiamatch drawnKarnataka won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1975–76Vidarbha Cricket Association GroundMumbaimatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1976–77Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium10 wickets
1977–78Wankhede StadiumRest of IndiaMumbaiinnings and 168 runs
1978–79M. Chinnaswamy StadiumKarnataka9 wickets
1979–80Gandhi Stadium—N/a—N/aabandonedHeavy rain caused the match between ROI and Delhi to be abandoned without a ball bowled. No toss was made and the Irani Cup was shared.
1980–81Arun Jaitley Cricket StadiumDelhiRest of Indiamatch drawnDelhi won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1981–82Nehru Stadium, IndoreMumbaimatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1982–83Arun Jaitley Cricket StadiumRest of IndiaDelhi5 wickets
1983–84Madhavrao Scindia Cricket GroundKarnatakaRest of Indiamatch drawnKarnataka won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1984–85Arun Jaitley Cricket StadiumRest of IndiaMumbai4 wickets
1985–86Vidarbha Cricket Association GroundMumbaiRest of Indiamatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1986–87Barkatullah Khan StadiumRest of IndiaDelhiinnings and 232 runs
1987–88Gymkhana Ground, SecunderabadHyderabadRest of Indiamatch drawnHyderabad won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1988–89M. A. Chidambaram StadiumTamil Nadu3 wickets
1989–90Wankhede StadiumDelhi309 runs
1990–91M. Chinnaswamy StadiumRest of IndiaBengalmatch drawnRest of India won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1991–92Nahar Singh StadiumHaryanaRest of India4 wickets
1992–93Arun Jaitley Cricket StadiumRest of IndiaDelhiinnings and 122 runs
1993–94Punjab Agricultural University StadiumPunjab181 runs
1994–95Wankhede StadiumMumbaiRest of Indiamatch drawnBombay won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1995–969 wickets
1996–97M. Chinnaswamy StadiumKarnataka5 wickets
1997–98Wankhede StadiumMumbai54 runs
1998–99M. Chinnaswamy StadiumKarnatakamatch drawnKarnataka won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
1999–2000Rest of IndiaKarnatakainnings and 60 runs
2000–01Wankhede StadiumMumbai10 wickets
2001–02Vidarbha Cricket Association GroundBaroda6 wickets
2002–03Karnail Singh StadiumRailwaysRest of India5 wickets
2003–04M. A. Chidambaram StadiumRest of IndiaMumbai3 wickets
2004–05I. S. Bindra Stadium290 runs
2005–06Karnail Singh StadiumRailwaysRest of India9 wickets
2006–07Vidarbha Cricket Association GroundRest of IndiaUttar Pradesh9 wickets
2007–08Madhavrao Scindia Cricket GroundMumbai9 wickets
2008–09Reliance StadiumDelhi187 runs
2009–10Vidarbha Cricket Association StadiumMumbaimatch drawnRest of India won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
2010–11Sawai Mansingh Stadium361 runs
2011–12Rajasthan404 runs
2012–13M. Chinnaswamy Stadiuminnings and 79 runs
2013Wankhede StadiumMumbaimatch drawnRest of India won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
2013–14M. Chinnaswamy StadiumKarnatakaRest of Indiainnings and 222 runs
2014–15246 runs
2015–16Brabourne StadiumRest of IndiaMumbai4 wickets
2016–17Gujarat6 wickets
2017–18Vidarbha Cricket Association StadiumVidarbhaRest of Indiamatch drawnVidarbha won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
2018–19match drawnVidarbha won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
2019–20Niranjan Shah StadiumRest of IndiaSaurashtra8 wickets
2020–21In both of these seasons, the fixture was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22
2022–23Captain Roop Singh StadiumRest of IndiaMadhya Pradesh238 runs
2023–24Niranjan Shah StadiumSaurashtra175 runs
2024–25Ekana Cricket StadiumMumbaiRest of Indiamatch drawnMumbai won the Irani Cup through their first innings lead.
2025–26Vidarbha Cricket Association StadiumVidarbha93 runs

Statistics

Team statistics

Appearances
TeamTotalChampionsRunners-upShared/No Result
Rest of India6230302
Mumbai3015141
Karnataka862—N/a
Delhi7241
Railways220—N/a
Rajasthan202—N/a
Vidarbha330—N/a
Saurashtra202—N/a
Hyderabad110—N/a
Tamil Nadu110—N/a
Haryana110—N/a
Bengal101—N/a
Punjab101—N/a
Baroda101—N/a
Uttar Pradesh101—N/a
Gujarat101—N/a
Madhya Pradesh101—N/a

Broadcasters

BCCI's official broadcasters Sports18 and JioCinema air the match live on TV and internet respectively. BCCI's website, bcci.tv, airs match highlights and scores.

Sponsorship

PeriodSponsorBrand
2007–2010World Sport Group
2010–2013Bharti AirtelAirtel Irani Cup
2013–2014Star India Pvt. Ltd.Star Irani Cup
2014–2015Micromax InformaticsMicromax Irani Cup
2015–2022PaytmPaytm Irani Cup
2022–2023MastercardMastercard Irani Cup
2023–presentIDFC First BankIDFC First Irani Cup

Notes

External links

  • . BCCI.
  • . Rediff, India.
  • 19 March 2016 at theWayback Machine. SPORT195.
  • . CricketArchive.