- Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Mohammad and Saeed Anwar voted by an 11-member independent panel that included PCB Hall of Famers, women international cricketers and journalists
- “Their talent, charisma and unwavering commitment have made them true ambassadors of cricket and the PCB takes immense pride in honouring their accomplishments,” says Mohsin Naqvi
- “I hope that our aspiring cricketers will look up to these icons and strive to follow in their footsteps, carrying forward their legacy and continuing to strengthen Pakistan’s position as a cricketing powerhouse,” says PCB Chair
Lahore, 10 January 2025: FORMER GREATS Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Mohammad and Saeed Anwar have been named in the PCB Hall of Fame for 2024, joining Abdul Qadir, AH Kardar, Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Younis Khan and Zaheer Abbas in the illustrious group.
The four icons of the game were inducted following an independent and transparent voting process, which was participated by Wasim Akram, Zaheer Abbas (both PCB Hall of Famers), Azhar Ali (former Pakistan captain), Bismah Maroof, Nain Abidi (both former women international cricketers), Majid Bhatti, Mohi Shah, Mohammad Yaqoob, Nauman Niaz, Sawera Pasha and Zahid Maqsood (cricket journalists/analysts).
The four stalwarts will be formally inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame during the course of the year when they will be presented with commemorative caps and specially-designed plaques.
Inzamam-ul-Haq played international cricket from 1991 to 2007 and was a member of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning team. Misbah-ul-Haq represented Pakistan from 2001 to 2017, was part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 winning squad and guided the team to the No.1 spot in the ICC Test Team Rankings in 2016. Mushtaq Mohammad played for Pakistan from 1959 to 1979 and captained the team to its first-ever Test win in Australia in 1977, featured in inaugural ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1975 in England before coaching the Pakistan side to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1999 final – also in England. Meanwhile, Saeed Anwar represented Pakistan from 1989 to 2003, amassing a total of 31 centuries and 68 half-centuries, including three centuries and three half-centuries across the 1996, 1999 and 2003 World Cups.
PCB Chair Mohsin Naqvi:
“On behalf of the Pakistan Cricket Board, I extend heartfelt congratulations to these four cricketing legends on their well-deserved inductions into the PCB Hall of Fame. This honour represents a tribute to their outstanding contributions to Pakistan cricket and to the global game.
“Mushtaq Mohammad is regarded as one of Pakistan’s finest captains, known for his astute leadership and inspiring style. Inzamam-ul-Haq’s immense talent and match-winning ability have left an indelible mark on the sport. Misbah-ul-Haq took charge of the Pakistan team during challenging times, guiding it to the pinnacle of Test rankings and achieving a historic series win in the Caribbean. Saeed Anwar, with his natural grace and classical technique, redefined the role of an opener and thrived against some of the world’s best bowlers under all conditions.
“These four giants of the game hold a special place in Pakistan’s rich cricketing history. Their contributions not only elevated the sport within Pakistan but also inspired future generations to pursue excellence. Their talent, charisma and unwavering commitment have made them true ambassadors of cricket and the PCB takes immense pride in honouring their accomplishments.
“Pakistan is fortunate to have produced such extraordinary players who have showcased their skill and sportsmanship on the global stage. I hope that our aspiring cricketers will look up to these icons and strive to follow in their footsteps, carrying forward their legacy and continuing to strengthen Pakistan’s position as a cricketing powerhouse.”
Note to Editors: Each year, the PCB inducts two former cricketers in the PCB Hall of Fame. Four inductions have been made for 2024 as there were no inductions in 2023.
ABOUT THE 2024 INDUCTEES:
Inzamam-ul-Haq
- Remains the leading run-scorer for Pakistan in ODI cricket (11,701), and is currently third in the list of Pakistan Test run-scorers (8,829). Captained Pakistan in 31 Tests, winning 11, drawing 9 and losing 11. Also led in 87 ODIs, winning 51, losing 33 and 3 no-results
- Off his 25 Test centuries, 17 were in winning causes; seven of his 10 ODI centuries earned Pakistan victories
- Enjoyed batting against England (1,584 runs; 54.62), Sri Lanka (1,559 runs; 59.96), West Indies (1,124 runs; 53.52), New Zealand (1059 runs; 66.18) and India (833 runs; 52.06)
- Found fame in the 1992 World Cup, when his 60 from 37 balls clinched victory in the semi-final against New Zealand and then followed up with a 35-ball 42 in the final victory over England
- Was top of the ICC Test batting rankings for a total of 79 days, covering 1995 and 1997
- His innings of 329 against New Zealand in Lahore in 2002 is the second highest in Pakistan’s Test history, only behind Hanif Mohammad’s 337 at Bridgetown in 1958
- Scored 184 against India in Bengaluru in 2005, making him one of only 10 players to have marked their 100th Test with a century
- Struck nine successive 50+ scores against England from 2001 to 2006, setting a record for the most consecutive half-centuries against a single country
- Twice served Pakistan as Chief Selector and also coached Afghanistan
Misbah-ul-Haq
- The only cricketer to captain Pakistan in, at least, 50 Tests, leading in 56 Tests and winning 26; also led the team in 87 ODIs (including in the 2015 World Cup) and in eight T20Is
- Scored 5,122 runs in 162 ODIs, by far the most runs by anyone in a career without scoring a century, despite scoring 42 half-centuries
- In 2016 under his captaincy, Pakistan topped the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings for the first time since their inception in June 2003
- Played in three ICC Men’s T20 World Cups tournaments, helping Pakistan to reach the final in 2007 and winning the competition in England in 2009
- His 21-ball 24-minute half-century against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014 is the fastest in Test history in terms of balls faced and minutes batted. He went onto score his century off 56 balls, equalling the record at the time, and still the joint second-fastest in Test history
- Played in 15 World Cup matches in the 2011 and 2015 competitions, scoring seven half-centuries
- The only player to make three scores of 99 in Test cricket
- Signed off on his career in 2017 by leading Pakistan to their only Test series victory in the West Indies to date
- After retirement, served as head coach Pakistan men’s cricket team from 2019-2021. In 2019-2020, he was also the chief selector
Mushtaq Mohammad
- Scored 3,643 runs and took 79 wickets in 57 Tests from 1959-1979; captained Pakistan in 19 Tests between 1976 and 1979, winning eight (including Pakistan’s first Test win in Australia in Sydney in 1977), drawing seven and losing four; also featured in the 1975 World Cup in England
- Scored 87 and took 5-28 on his first-class debut at the age of just 13 years and 41 days for Karachi Whites against Sindh in Hyderabad in January 1957
- Became the youngest player at the time to win a Test cap when he represented Pakistan against the West Indies in Lahore at the age of 15 years 124 days
- Two years later, became the youngest player at the time to score a Test century when he made 101 against India in New Delhi when aged 17 years 78 days
- Remains the only Pakistan player to twice score a century and take five wickets in an innings in the same Test
- Is one of only two players to score a double-century and take five wickets in an innings in the same Test, with 201 and 5-49 against New Zealand at Dunedin in 1973
- Regarded as one of the first players to pioneer the reverse-sweep, playing the stroke as far back as the 1970s
- Was the first Pakistani to score 25,000 first-class runs and ended with a total of 31,091 runs along with 936 wickets; played for Northamptonshire from 1964 to 1977 and captained them to their first trophy when they won the 1976 Gillette Cup
- Coached Pakistan to ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1999 final
- Along with Hanif, Sadiq and Wazir, his family provides the only example of four brothers playing Test cricket
Saeed Anwar
- Recovered from making a ‘pair’ on his Test debut to score 169 in his third Test and end with 4,052 runs (11 centuries) in 55 Tests; captained Pakistan in seven Tests
- Scored 8,824 runs in 247 ODIs, including 7,227 runs in 205 away ODIs. More than 20 years after his last match, remains Pakistan’s leading century-maker in ODI cricket with 20 such scores. Also captained in 11 ODIs
- Stroked a century in his last Test innings (101 vs Bangladesh, Multan, 2001) and also hit a century in his last but one ODI (101 vs India, Centurion, 2003)
- Scored 2,198 runs in 52 ODIs against Sri Lanka and 2002 runs in 50 ODIs against India; scored 919 runs in 11 Tests against Sri Lanka and 886 runs in 8 Tests against Australia
- In 1993, struck three successive centuries in ODI cricket with 107 against Sri Lanka, 131 against the West Indies and 111 against Sri Lanka, all in the space of four days in Sharjah
- In 1997, struck 194 against India in Chennai to break Viv Richards’ long-standing record for the highest individual score in ODI cricket
- His innings of 176 against England in The Oval Test of 1996 helped him to be named one of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack’s Five Cricketers of the Year
- In Kolkata in 1999, became just the third Pakistan player to carry his bat through a Test innings when he struck a match-winning 188 against India
- Was Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in three successive ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups – in 1996, 1999 and 2003
