Virender Sehwag inducted into ICC Hall Of Fame alongwith  Diana Edulji and Aravinda de Silva 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially inducted the trio of Virender Sehwag, Diana Edulji, and Aravinda de Silva into the prestigious Hall Of Fame on Monday, November 13.

Sehwag becomes the seventh Indian men's player to be part of the ICC Hall Of Fame, while Diana creates history by being the first-ever women's player from India to be part of the list. Aravinda de Silva becomes the fourth player from Sri Lanka after Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Muttiah Muralidaran to get inducted.

Sehwag, the former India opener, was renowned for his brash, aggressive batting. He introduced the brand of cricket to Tests as well and made a lasting impact. Sehwag was part of India's iconic ODI World Cup-winning squad in 2011 and ended his career with over 8,000 runs in both ODIs and Tests.

Expressing his pleasure after officially being inducted into the ICC Hall Of Fame, Sehwag said:

“I would like to thank the ICC and the jury for inducting me with this honour. I feel extremely grateful for having spent a great part of my life doing what I loved most, ‘hitting the cricket ball’. I would also like to thank my family, friends, people I played with, and countless people who prayed for me selflessly.”

Former India women's team captain Diana Edulji played a starring role for the nation both on and off the field. She represented the country in 20 Tests and 34 ODIs, claiming over 100 international wickets with her slow left-arm spin.

An iconic moment in her playing career came when she was not allowed into the Lord's Pavilion as captain during India's tour of England in 1986.

Diana has already been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri by the Indian Government in 1983 and 2002, respectively.

Thanking the ICC for her latest honor, she said:

“At the outset, I would like to thank the ICC and the Jury for having selected me to be inducted in the ICC Hall Of Fame 2023. It indeed is a great honour to be the first Indian Women Cricketer to be inducted and join a galaxy of cricketers, male and female from across the world. I am delighted to be considered for this award. It's not only a proud moment for me, my family and friends but also for BCCI and Indian Women's Cricket.”

She paved the way for the progress of women's cricket in India in her administrative roles post her playing career. She held roles within Western and Indian Railways to promote women's cricket and was also part of the BCCI Administration panel in 2017.

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"Thank you for being part of this remarkable journey" - Aravinda de Silva thanks friends, family, and ICC for the honor

Former Sri Lanka cricketer Aravinda de Silva played over 400 international matches in a career that spanned almost two decades. He was part of the 1996 World Cup-winning squad and made history by securing the Player of the Match awards in both the semi-final as well as the final.

He scored a sublime century in the tense run chase against Australia to seal the nation's first and only ODI World Cup title. De Silva also has 20 Test centuries to his name, along with 6,361 runs at an average of 42.97.

Furthermore, de Silva's skillset expanded as he was a handy spin bowling option as well, with his 135 international wickets being a testament to this fact.

De Silva said following his induction:

“I am filled with profound gratitude as I accept the immense honour of being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. This achievement is a tribute to the dedication, sacrifice, and love that have shaped my cricketing journey. My sincere appreciation goes to the ICC, and the Hall of Fame voting committee for this extraordinary recognition. I share this honour with all who have stood by and shaped me. Thank you for being part of this remarkable journey.”

Which batch of cricketers will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame next year? Let us know what you think.