Pak cricket legend Imran Khan inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
By ANIWednesday, July 14, 2010
Dubai, Jul 14 (ANI): Pakistan legend Imran Khan became the fourth Pakistani to be inducted formally into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame at Lord’s on Wednesday.
The former captain received his commemorative cap from ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat who was accompanied by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and International Cricket Council (ICC) director Ijaz Butt, Cricket Australia chairman and ICC director Jack Clarke and the MCC President John Barclay, who is a former Sussex team-mate of Imran.
Imran joins batsmen Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad as Pakistan’s representatives in the initial intake of 55 players into the Hall of Fame*, a joint venture between the ICC and the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA). Wasim Akram who was voted in at the end of 2009 joined the trio last year.
After the presentation during lunch at the MCC Spirit of Cricket Test match between Pakistan and Australia, Imran said: “It is a great honour to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and to be recognized for my cricketing achievements for Pakistan.
“I achieved many things during my cricketing career, including winning a World Cup in 1992, but to be named amongst the initial 55 inductees, alongside Hanif and Javed makes me very proud.”
Imran captained Pakistan in 48 of his 88 Test matches scoring 3,807 runs averaging 37.69, while with the ball he claimed 362 Test wickets with an economy rate of 2.54.
His career averages put him at the top of the quartet of all-rounders (fellow Hall of Fame members Sir Ian Botham, Sir Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev being the other three) who dominated Test cricket during the 1980s.
He led Pakistan to its first series victory in England in 1987, taking 10-77 to claim victory for the side at Headingley after every other match of the series had been drawn.
The crowning glory of his 21 years at the top of international cricket came in 1992 when he led Pakistan to victory in the Cricket World Cup over Graham Gooch’s England by 22 runs. (ANI)
