Dubai. Former Indian spinner Neetu David, who bowled the best in an innings of Test cricket (eight wickets for 53 runs), on Wednesday became the second female cricketer of the country to be included in the ICC (International Cricket Council) Half of Fame. Great South African batsman AB de Villiers and legendary English batsman Alastair Cook also got a place in the Hall of Fame.
Neetu, the current chairperson of the selection committee of the Indian women’s team, has got a place in the ICC Hall of Fame, a year after the induction of former captain Diana Edulji. Left arm spinner Neetu played more than 100 international matches (10 Tests and 97 ODIs) for India. 47 year old Neetu is India’s second most successful bowler in One Day International cricket with 141 wickets. She also became the first woman bowler in the country to touch the figure of 100 wickets in the 50 over format. Neetu, the most successful bowler of the World Cup 2005, played an important role in taking India to the final for the first time.
Neetu said in the ICC release, “It is a great honor to be included in the ICC Hall of Fame, which I consider to be the highest recognition for any player playing for the national team.” “This comes after a lifetime of dedication to this great game and it is a very special journey for me to reach this point,” he said.
Neetu said, “It is wonderful to be considered a Hall of Famer alongside the greatest players of all time and I am thrilled to be a part of this exclusive club.” Neetu played her first international match in 1995 at the age of 17 against New Zealand in Nelson. In 1995 itself, she took eight wickets for 53 runs during India’s narrow two-run defeat against England in Jamshedpur, which is still the best individual bowling performance in an innings in the Women’s Test.
Neetu took 41 wickets in 10 Tests while took 141 wickets in 97 ODI matches at an average of 16.34. Neetu retired from international cricket in 2006 but changed her decision two years later and played in the ODI format in the Asia Cup and India’s tour to England. Cook, on the other hand, represented England in more than 250 international matches. He bid farewell to international cricket in 2018 as the player who scored the most Test runs and centuries for England. He was also very successful as a captain.
De Villiers scored more than 20 thousand international runs in all three formats in his international career of 14 years. De Villiers is also called ‘Mr. 360’ for his ability to play shots all around the field. He made the record of fastest half-century, century and 150 runs in One Day International cricket for South Africa and is counted among the most aggressive batsmen in the history of the game. The ICC Hall of Fame was launched in January 2009 as part of the centenary celebrations of the global governing body. The induction of these players will be celebrated through a series of special events in Dubai this week which will coincide with the conclusion of the Women’s T20 World Cup.