The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the induction of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Charlotte Edwards, and Abdul Qadir, the latest legends to join the prestigious list of cricket greats that make up the ICC Hall of Fame.
Following a voting process that included existing Hall of Famers, media representatives, and senior executives from the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) and the ICC, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Charlotte numbers, and Abdul Qadir became inductees’ number 107, 108 and 109 respectively as per ICC. The ICC Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players ever to grace the game throughout its rich history, and these three individuals have all left a lasting legacy through their significant contributions to the sport.
Following recent tradition, all three of the new inductees will be honoured in a special presentation ceremony which will take place prior to the start of play at the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday, November 9.
ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said, “The ICC Hall of Fame continues to celebrate the iconic individuals that have shaped the history of cricket. Only the very best are honoured in this way, and it is wonderful to commemorate the lasting contributions of Shivnarine, Charlotte and Abdul. These three ambassadors of our great game enjoyed tremendous success on the international stage and are richly deserving of their status as ICC Hall of Famers.”
Shivnarine Chanderpaul is one of the most instantly recognisable figures in the history of West Indies cricket. With an unorthodox batting technique, he made his debut at 19 and quickly began to excel against opposition bowlers. Having registered 13 half-centuries before his maiden Test century arrived, the floodgates then opened, and he became the rock of the West Indies batting lineup over a 21-year international career.
Resilience, control, and an often impenetrable defence characterised his batting style, which was prolific enough to earn him 30 Test centuries, and eventually become the second West Indian to reach 10,000 test runs. Not limited to the longest format, Chanderpaul also excelled in ODIs, amassing 8,778 runs in 268 outings.
“It’s an amazing honour to follow in the footsteps of many legends and so many other great cricketers of the past. I’m grateful for the recognition and would like to enjoy the moment with family, friends, and most importantly the West Indies cricket fans and fans around the world who passionately supported me throughout my career,” stated Chanderpaul after getting the news.
Over the course of a 20-year international career, Charlotte Edwards became one of the most significant players in the history of women’s cricket. Starting her international journey as a 16-year-old, she soon announced herself by striking a world-record unbeaten 173 against Ireland in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Pune.
As she developed and grew in influence in the side, she became captain in 2006 and inspired England to numerous Ashes victories at home and away, as well as ICC crowns in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Australia in 2009 and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England the same year. When she retired in 2016, she left as the leading female run-scorer in both ODIs and T20Is.
Qadir passed away in 2019 at the age of 63, but his influence on the game in Pakistan and the wider world is still felt strongly today.
Often labelled the saviour of leg-spin bowling during the 1970s and 80s, Qadir was renowned for outfoxing some of the greatest batters in the game with his dynamic action and majestic variation. His 236 wickets across a 13-year career place him third on the list of Pakistan’s all-time prolific spinners.
