South African duo inducted into the Hall of Fame

South African cricket received a major nod this week, as Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith were inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. They were two of seven new members announced at a ceremony held at Abbey Road Studios in London. They were joined by India’s MS Dhoni, Australia’s Matthew Hayden, New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori,…

Editor

06/10/2025

2–3 minutes

Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla

South African cricket received a major nod this week, as Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith were inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. They were two of seven new members announced at a ceremony held at Abbey Road Studios in London.

They were joined by India’s MS Dhoni, Australia’s Matthew Hayden, New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori, and two trailblazers in the women’s game: Sana Mir (Pakistan) and Sarah Taylor (England).

The timing was fitting — just days before the World Test Championship final, with South Africa and Australia set to face off at Lord’s. Both teams’ captains, Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins, were in attendance.

Amla and Smith: Big Players, Big Records

Hashim Amla was the first South African to score a Test triple century — an unbeaten 311 at The Oval in 2012 — and finished with over 9,000 Test runs. Known for his calm presence and consistency, Amla was a key part of South Africa’s strongest teams in the 2000s and 2010s.

Graeme Smith captained South Africa in 109 Tests, a world record. Thrust into leadership at 22, he helped rebuild a side after the Hansie Cronjé era and led them through some of their most successful years — including a historic Test series win in Australia.

Amla said it was “an honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, especially alongside Graeme,” while Smith noted the moment as a proud one for South African cricket.

Other Inductees

MS Dhoni: Won all three ICC white-ball trophies as captain (2007 T20 WC, 2011 ODI WC, 2013 Champions Trophy). Scored over 10,000 ODI runs and was known for his calm finishing in chases.
Matthew Hayden: A dominant opener for Australia with 30 Test hundreds and a career average above 50.
Daniel Vettori: One of New Zealand’s most successful all-rounders, with 300+ Test wickets and 4,000+ runs.
Sarah Taylor: A standout wicketkeeper-batter for England who helped win the 2017 World Cup.
Sana Mir: Led Pakistan’s women’s team to two Asian Games gold medals and took 151 ODI wickets.

In Summary

The ICC Hall of Fame class of 2025 reflects a group of players who made significant impacts — some through leadership, others through longevity and performance. For South Africa, it’s a reminder of the quality the nation has produced, and recognition long overdue.