Hyderabad:Recognition of his performance always inspires a sportsperson to do well. Thus, athletes from various sports are handed some awards. Cricket is no exception to the norm and so the cricketers are honoured with the ICC Hall of Fame. Only 10 Indians have been inducted into the Hall of Fame so far as a cricketers needs to tick some criteria to be eligible for the induction into the exclusive club.
What is ICC Hall of Fame?
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame honours the achievements of the legends of the game from cricket’s long and illustrious history. The exclusive club was launched by the ICC in Dubai on January 2, 2009, in collaboration with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA). The award is part of the ICC's centenary celebrations.
After the creation of the Hall of Fame in 2009, ICC included 55 cricketers in the list. These cricketers were already a part of the FICA’s Hall of Fame, and ICC borrowed that list from there. Since then, many cricketers have been added to the club, and the announcement for the same is done at the ICC annual awards.
How the Hall of Fame members are selected?
The voting process for a cricketer to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is conducted among the existing Hall of Famers, senior executives from FICA, media representatives and the ICC.
Criteria to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
With induction into the ICC Hall of Fame being such a prestigious thing, ICC has laid down some criteria for a cricketer to be inducted into the elite list according to media reports.
A cricketer becomes eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame five years after his retirement
A batter should have scored at least 8000 runs and 20 centuries in any of the two major formats (ODI/Tests) or should average more than 50 in either of the formats.
Bowlers must have taken a minimum of 200 wickets in any one of the formats. But the strike rate in Tests and ODIs should be less than 50 and 30 respectively.
Wicketkeepers should have 200 dismissals in either of both the formats.
For a captain to be eligible for the honour, he must have led his/her side in at least 25 Tests and/or 100 ODIs with a win percentage of 50 or more in either or both formats.
Special Inductees
Cricketers who do not fall under these criteria can also be inducted in the Hall of Fame.
“ If a person, team or institution does not fall within any of the above criteria, he, she or it can still be put forward by the Nominations Committee if, in the opinion of its members, he, she or it has had a fundamental effect on the history of the game (this criterion would also allow an eminent journalist, umpire, match referee or administrator to be nominated. It is also a sweep-up criterion if someone regarded as a great of the game does not fit into any of the above criteria).”
