Former Pakistan women’s cricket captain Sana Mir has become the first female cricketer from the country to be inducted into the prestigious ICC Hall of Fame, announced the International Cricket Council.
Mir joins an elite list of seven inductees for 2024, which includes India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni, South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla, Australia’s Matthew Hayden, New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori and England’s Sarah Taylor.
The induction ceremony was held at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios — famed for its association with The Beatles — located near Lord’s Cricket Ground, where the ICC World Test Championship final is set to begin.
Mir, 38, who represented Pakistan in 226 international matches across formats from 2005 to 2020, becomes the first Pakistani woman to receive this honour. The ICC noted her contributions both on and off the field, crediting her with raising the profile of women’s cricket in Pakistan and globally.
In a statement, Mir expressed her gratitude, saying, “From dreaming as a little girl that one day there would even be a women’s team in our country to now standing here, inducted among the very legends I idolised long before I ever held a bat or a ball — this is a moment I couldn’t have dared to imagine.”
Mir remains the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in One Day Internationals with 151 wickets and is second on the list in T20 Internationals with 89 wickets. She also scored over 2,400 runs in white-ball formats and led Pakistan to two Asian Games gold medals in 2010 and 2014.
She was the first Pakistani woman cricketer to reach 100 wickets in ODIs and was ranked the No.1 ODI bowler in the ICC Women’s Rankings in 2018. That same year, she also became the first Asian woman to feature in 100 T20 Internationals.
In addition to her on-field accomplishments, the ICC recognised Mir’s off-field contributions, including her advocacy for mental health awareness, body positivity, and her work during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also served on the ICC Women’s Committee and was recently named ambassador for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi congratulated Mir on the milestone, terming her induction a proud moment for the nation.
“Well done, Sana Mir. You have raised Pakistan’s flag high on the global stage. The entire country is proud of you. Your achievement is a beacon of hope for the next generation of women cricketers,” Mr Naqvi said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
He added that Mir’s recognition at the international level was the result of years of hard work and dedication, and it signified a broader victory for women's cricket in Pakistan.
The ICC, in its official citation, described Mir as one of only nine women cricketers globally to have taken 100 ODI wickets and scored 1,000 ODI runs. Her career, spanning 15 years, also included leadership during five ICC T20 World Cups and two 50-over World Cups.
“This year, we are privileged to induct seven truly outstanding individuals into this prestigious group,” said ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice. “Through the Hall of Fame, we pay tribute to the finest players the game has seen, individuals whose remarkable careers have shaped cricket’s legacy and inspired generations.”
Among the other inductees, MS Dhoni was celebrated for leading India to all three ICC white-ball titles — the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. Graeme Smith holds the record for most Tests as captain (109), while Hashim Amla remains the only South African to score a Test triple-century.
Matthew Hayden, with a batting average above 50 in Tests and 30 centuries, and Daniel Vettori, with over 4,500 runs and 300 wickets in Tests, were also honoured. Sarah Taylor was credited for revolutionising wicketkeeping in women’s cricket and helping England win the 2017 World Cup.
