The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday, August 23, 2020, announced the names of three retired greats of the game, who have been inducted in the Hall of Fame, class of 2020.
Pakistan’s legendary batsman Zaheer Abbas, known as the “Asian Bradman” was joined by South Africa’s brilliant all-rounder Jacques Kallis and Australia women’s team’s World Cup-winning player Lisa Sthalekar, as the ICC inducted these three greats into the ICC Hall Of Fame during an absorbing show broadcast around the world via ICC digital channels.
The show, hosted by commentator Alan Wilkins, featured retired greats Sunil Gavaskar, Melanie Jones, and Shaun Pollock as the main guests and had Wasim Akram, Graeme Smith, and Alyssa Healy join in to congratulate and appreciate the 2020 inductees.
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Kallis is the fourth South African player inducted and Zaheer the sixth from Pakistan. Lisa is the 27th from Australia and the ninth woman player on the list, which includes five from Australia.
In all, 93 players have been inducted so far under the system, which sees retired players become eligible five years after playing their last international match.
“It is always a pleasure to announce the latest set of inductees into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. These are all players with a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations for years to come. I congratulate Zaheer, Jacques, and Lisa on their inclusion in the pantheon of cricket greats,” Manu Sawhney, ICC Chief Executive said.
“It’s a great honor 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,” Kallis said.
“But it is nice to be recognized when one has succeeded in the sport, it is nice to be recognized by people for something that you have achieved in the game, something that I am really proud of,” he added.
Jacques Kallis, in a career that spanned from 1995-2014, played 166 Tests, 288 ODIs and 25 T20Is for South Africa. He made 13289, 11579, and 666 runs respectively with a total of 62 centuries to his name. He also picked 292 Test, 273 ODI, and 12 T20I wickets with his medium-pace bowling.
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“I am deeply humbled to receive this honor. 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,” Lisa Sthalekar said.
Sthalekar played 8 Tests, 125 ODIs and 54 T20Is for Australia from 2003-2013. She made 2728 ODI and 769 T20I runs along with 416 Test runs with a total of three centuries. An off-break bowler, Sthalekar also picked 23 Test, 146 ODI, and 60 T20I wickets in her career.
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Zaheer Abbas of Pakistan 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 fulfill my dreams by playing this great game at the highest level. Thank you, ICC, and the members of the jury, for this special honor. It is a final recognition for any cricketer.”
“This great game has made me the person I am. Thank you cricket.”
Abbas played 78 Tests and 62 ODIs for Pakistan from 1969-1985 making 5062 and 2572 runs respectively with a combined 19 centuries. He is the only Asian batsman with over 100 (108) FC centuries to his name, in 459 matches, in which he made 34843 runs.
(ICC inputs)
