Former captain of the Pakistan women’s cricket team, Sana Mir, has etched her name in history as the first Pakistani female cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, the International Cricket Council announced recently.
Mir is one of seven cricketers honored in the 2024 induction, alongside cricketing greats like MS Dhoni (India), Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla (South Africa), Matthew Hayden (Australia), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), and Sarah Taylor (England).
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The induction ceremony took place at the renowned Abbey Road Studios in London — famously linked to The Beatles — located near Lord’s Cricket Ground, which is also hosting the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final.
Over her 15-year international career from 2005 to 2020, Sana Mir appeared in 226 matches across all formats. She played a transformative role in shaping and popularising women’s cricket in Pakistan and was commended by the ICC for her achievements both on and off the pitch.
In her heartfelt statement, Mir reflected on her journey, saying, “As a young girl, I never imagined Pakistan would even have a women’s team, let alone that I’d be inducted among the legends I looked up to. This is beyond a dream come true.”
Mir holds the record for most ODI wickets (151) by a Pakistani woman and is second in T20I wickets (89). She also amassed over 2,400 runs in limited-overs cricket and led Pakistan to two Asian Games gold medals in 2010 and 2014.
In 2018, she became the first Pakistani woman to reach 100 ODI wickets and was also ranked the world’s No. 1 ODI bowler. That year, she became the first Asian woman to play in 100 T20 Internationals.
Beyond her on-field performance, the ICC acknowledged Mir’s off-field contributions, including her work promoting mental health, body positivity, and community support during COVID-19. She has served on the ICC Women’s Committee and was recently appointed ambassador for the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi praised her achievement, calling it a national pride and an inspiration for future generations of female cricketers. “You’ve made the whole country proud,” he said in an official statement.
The ICC hailed her as one of just nine women globally to achieve both 100 ODI wickets and 1,000 ODI runs, recognizing her pivotal role in five ICC T20 World Cups and two 50-over World Cups.
ICC CEO Geoff Allardice celebrated the 2024 inductees as players whose legacies have shaped the game and inspired countless others.
Among the other Hall of Fame honorees:
- MS Dhoni was lauded for leading India to three ICC titles — the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy.
- Graeme Smith holds the record for most Test matches as captain (109).
- Hashim Amla remains South Africa’s only Test triple-centurion.
- Matthew Hayden boasts a Test batting average over 50 with 30 centuries.
- Daniel Vettori achieved over 4,500 runs and 300 wickets in Tests.
- Sarah Taylor revolutionised wicketkeeping in women’s cricket and helped England win the 2017 Women’s World Cup.
