Mehdi played for the Kenyan national team in the 60’s and 70’s, and is regarded by many cricketing die-hards as possibly one of the best Kenyan all-rounders of his era.
His best performance for Kenya was in 1973 when he scored 50 runs and took 3 wickets against India.
In 1973, he was also named “Coast Cricketer of the Year” – and playing for his Agha Khan Club against Mombasa Sports Club in that year took a record 9 wickets for 49 runs in an innings.
Mehdi left Kenya to settle in England in 1974 where he continued his distinguished playing career before turning his attention to coaching full-time.
He has devoted the last twenty years to coaching youngsters in England and is currently an integral part of the England Cricket Board’s “Chance to Shine” project, a much lauded programme which is targeted at spreading the essentials of the game of cricket to young boys and girls in England.
Mehdi returned to Kenya between September 2010 and March 2011 to coach youngsters working with the newly set up Cricket Development Programme.