The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame was launched on January 2, 2009 in association with the Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA), as part of the ICC's centenary year celebrations. The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of the legends of the game from cricket's long and illustrious history.
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The initial intake of inductees are the 55 players named in the FICA Hall of Fame, which ran between 1999 and 2003. This was supplemented by a select group of inductions each year, which started in 2009 when five new inductees; Wasim Akram, Clarrie Grimmett, Herbert Sutcliffe, Victor Trumper and Steve Waugh, were announced as new members of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame at the ICC Awards.
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The first inductee for 2020 was former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
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Kallis, one of the best all-rounders, scored 10,000 runs in both Tests and ODIs.
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Take a look at Kallis' numbers in international cricket.
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Kallis' career highlightsThe only player to score at least 10,000 runs and take at least 250 wickets in both Test and ODI cricketICC Player of the Year and ICC Test Player of the year in 2005South Africa’s leading Test run-scorer, and currently third on the all-time listThe most capped South African player in both Test and ODI cricketScored 113 not out in the semi-final and took 5-30 in the final as South Africa won the first ICC Knockout Tournament (later the ICC Champions Trophy) in 1998Won 23 ‘Player of the Match’ awards in Test cricket, more than anyone elseSpent 592 days as the No.1 ranked Test batsman (2005-2011)Spent 4,028 days as the No.1 ranked Test all-rounder (2000-2013) and a record 493 matches ranked number 1
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Kallis said, “It’s a great honour to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. It is something that I never expected when I started playing. I certainly did not play the game for any accolades or anything like that, I only wanted to win the games for whoever I was playing for.“But it is nice to be recognised when one has succeeded in the sport, it is nice to be recognised by people for something that you have achieved in the game, something that I am really proud of.”
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The second inductee was former Australian woman player Lisa Sthalekar.
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Lisa is a multiple World Cup winner.
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Take a look at Lisa's achievements.
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Lisa said, “I am deeply humbled to receive this honour. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I would ever get to join such an illustrious group of players.“I was fortunate enough to learn from the best when I entered the Australia team – Belinda Clark, Karen Rolton and Cathryn Fitzpatrick, all of whom have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and rightly so. The guidance from them and other teammates along the way kept me focused but also ensured that it was a fun environment. Thanks to all my teammates.“It goes without saying that if it wasn’t for the support of my family, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I have.”
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Lisa's career highlightsOver the course of her career, topped both ODI batting and bowling rankingsThe first woman to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in ODI cricketSpent 934 days as the No.1 ranked ODI all-rounder (2007-2010)Part of the Australia teams that won the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2005 and 2013 andICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2010 and 2012She won 12 Women’s National Cricket League titles with New South Wales, and was captain for five victories in a rowShort-listed for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 and for ICCWomen’s T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2012
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The third inductee was former Pakistan batsman Zaheer Abbas.
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Zaheer is known as 'Asian Bradman'.
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Take a look at Zaheer's numbers in cricket.
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Abbas' career highlightsThe only player from Asia to have scored at least a 100 first-class hundredsBecame just the second player to score his hundredth first-class century in a Test MatchHe scored two centuries in the same first-class match on a record eight occasionsOn a record four occasions he scored a double-century and a century in the same first-class matchThe first player to score three successive centuries in ODI cricketSpent 215 days as the No.1 ranked ODI batsman (1983-1984)Captained Pakistan in 14 Test Matches, and only lost one of themLater served as an ICC Match Referee and as ICC President
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Abbas said, “I feel privileged and truly humbled to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame of the class of 2020. I am excited to be in the midst of other illustrious cricketers.“I would like to say a special thanks to my family, my country Pakistan, my county Gloucestershire and many fans worldwide who helped me achieve and fulfil my dreams by playing this great game at the highest level. Thank you, ICC, and the members of the jury, for this special honour. It is a final recognition for any cricketer.“This great game has made me the person I am. Thank you cricket.”
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This year no Indian was inducted. Last year, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar was inducted into the Hall of Fame. So far, there are six Indians in the ICC Hall of Fame. Sunil Gavaskar (2009), Bishen Singh Bedi (2009), Kapil Dev (2010), Anil Kumble (2015), Rahul Dravid (2018) and Sachin Tendulkar (2019).
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