AB de Villiers, Alastair Cook inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

AB de Villiers and Alastair Cook have been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, the cricketing body announced on October 16 (Wednesday). Along with them, former India Women spinner Neetu David too has been bestowed with the honour. 

"Following a process conducted among existing Hall of Famers, senior executives and global cricket media, three names have been added to the long list of cricketing legends that comprise the ICC Hall of Fame: Alastair Cook, Neetu David and AB de Villiers, who join as inductees 113, 114 and 115 respectively," a media release from the ICC said.

The Class of 2024 will be celebrated in Dubai this week following the conclusion of the Women's T20 World Cup, which is currently underway in the UAE.

Cook had a fruitful career with England and turned up for them on more than 250 occasions. He was their leading run-getter in Tests until Joe Root overtook him enroute his double century against Pakistan in Multan. Cook, who led England in 59 Tests and 69 One-Day Internationals (ODI) retired from international cricket in 2018, having made his debut in 2006.

De Villiers' international career spanned over 14 years, during which he hit more than 20,000 runs. He holds the record for the fastest century and 150 in ODI cricket. Known to be an innovative stroke-maker, de Villiers entertained the world in T20 cricket with his extravagant shots, especially in the Indian Premier League (IPL), scoring over 5,000 runs in the tournament at a strike rate of 151.68. He also led South Africa to a semi-final finish in the ODI World Cup 2015.

David, a crafty left-arm spinner, finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Women's ODI World Cup in 2005. She also has over 100 wickets in the format for India. Only Jhulan Goswami (255) has picked up more wickets than David (141) for India Women in the 50-over format. Moreover, she has played 10 Tests for her country, picking up 41 wickets at 18.90.

The ICC Hall of Fame was introduced in 2009 and since then, some of the greatest cricketers have been inducted in it. In 2023, the Indian duo of Virender Sehwag and Diana Edulji were inducted, alongside Sri Lankan great Aravinda de Silva.

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out on our content — big time. Download the App here.