LAHORE: Renowned Pakistani cricketer Zaheer Abbas has become the sixth Pakistani cricketer to join the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame.
The announcement was made by the governing body in an online ceremony on Sunday. Zaheer Abbas was selected by a voting academy made up of current ICC Hall of Famers and prominent journalists.
He joins compatriots Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram (all 2009) and Waqar Younis (2013).
The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame includes 27 Australia cricketers, 28 England players, six India cricketers, three from New Zealand, four from South Africa, one Sri Lankan and 18 players from the West Indies.
???? ICC Hall of Fame 2020: Zaheer Abbas ????????
???? Nicknamed ‘Run Machine’ for his big scores
???? First batsman to score 5x???? in successive internationals
???? Only Asian batsman to score 100 first-class centuriesAn icon of the sport! pic.twitter.com/SQ8FvEta9g
— ICC (@ICC) August 23, 2020
Abbas becomes only the sixth Pakistan cricketer to join the exclusive company of 93 cricketers.
Meanwhile, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani, in a press release, congratulated the batting maestro for the honour.
He said, “It is a matter of great honour and pride for Pakistan that Zaheer Abbas’s outstanding career achievements have been acknowledged by the game’s governing body”.
PCB congratulates Zaheer Abbas on his inclusion in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. More: https://t.co/QqsNYlogp7#ICCHallOfFame pic.twitter.com/uWaegQBOSh
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) August 23, 2020
“I am sure all those who watched Zaheer live in action will agree that when he batted, it was like poetry in motion”, he said.
The PCB Chairman further said It was his immaculate footwork backed up by superlative wrist work with an ability to consistently bisect the field that not only made him a run-machine but also one of the most attractive and graceful batsmen ever to grace this great game.
Pakistan cricket fans from various age groups have welcomed Zaheer Abbas' induction in the #ICCHallOfFame pic.twitter.com/n88amc7yzu
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 23, 2020
