Kapil Dev inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

New Delhi, Mar 9 : India's legendary fast bowler Kapil Dev has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in Dubai.

ICC President David Morgan presented a commemorative cap to Kapil in front of an audience of ICC officials and other invited guests.

The Hall of Fame, run in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), recognises some of the legends of the game from its long and illustrious history.

Born on 6 January 1959 in Chandigarh, Kapil is probably best known for leading India to victory in the 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup while also playing in 131 Test matches and 225 ODIs in an international career that spanned 16 years.

The India legend made his ODI debut for India on 1 October 1978 against Pakistan in Quetta while his Test debut came two weeks later in Faisalabad against the same opposition.

Kapil played during what was a golden period for world-class all-rounders as other Hall of Famers Imran Khan of Pakistan, Ian Botham of England and New Zealand's Richard Hadlee were also plying their trade at that time.

Kapil was very much part of that elite company and is seen as one of the greatest pace bowlers India has produced and its finest bowling all-rounder. In total, he took a remarkable 434 Test wickets and 253 ODI wickets.

In 1994, he became the leading wicket-taker in Tests when he overtook Hadlee, a record that was eventually broken by West Indies pacer Courtney Walsh.

Also, in 1988 he leapfrogged another West Indies fast bowler, Joel Garner, to become the most successful bowler in ODIs, a record he held until 1994 when Wasim Akram passed his tally of 253 wickets.

On his induction into the Hall of Fame, Kapil said: "I am proud and happy to have been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and it's amazing to think that I have been picked as one of the greats of Indian cricket."