LAHORE: Former Pakistan cricket captain Javed Miandad was formally inducted into the Pakistan Cricket Boards Hall of Fame when Pakistan Cricket Board’s Chief Executive Faisal Hasnain presented him with a commemorative cap and plaque. Javed Miandad said on Saturday: “I feel humbled and honored to have been inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame. It is appropriate that these inductions are taking place when an international cricketer is at the helm of Pakistan cricket affairs as he understands better than anyone else does the hard work and sacrifices a cricketer makes to reach the top pedestal.
“Every time I stepped onto the field of play, I wanted to contribute to my team and country through my performance. To make this happen, I developed my own training and preparation plans using innovative methods visualizing the oppositions and conditions I would encounter.
I am delighted my efforts produced good results and I was able to serve my team and country with performances that made us a proud cricketing nation.
“One thing I did with great success throughout my career was to quickly forget my previous performance and switch focus towards the next challenge. Of course, I took learning from the previous game into the next match and tried to improve, but I did not dwell on what I had achieved in the past matches.
“I was fortunate to always have had excellent and outstanding contemporaries who supported and encouraged me and I want to especially thank the people of Pakistan for their overwhelming support and love till date. This always remained my inspiration and motivation in the pursuit for excellence.”
Faisal Hasnain said:” On behalf of the Pakistan Cricket Board, I want to congratulate Javed Miandad on his induction into the PCB Hall of Fame. This small gesture is a reward and recognition of his immense services towards Pakistan cricket and for providing unprecedented happiness to cricket fans all over the world”.
“Whenever Javed Miandad batted, nothing seemed impossible. For his never-say-die approach, Miandad has left an everlasting impression on his fans and opponents, who respect, admire and credit him for the way he constructed his career and played with dignity, pride, and consistent performance.”
64-year-old Miandad was Pakistan cricket’s heartbeat from 1975-1996, during which he scored 16,213 international runs with 31 centuries in 357 matches. In a 402-match first-class career from 1973-74 to 1993-94, Miandad scored 28,663 runs at an average of over 53 with 80 centuries and 139 half-centuries.
Miandad played in the 1975 World Cup as an 18-year-0ld and then went to participate in five more World Cups, winning the 1992 event in Australia under Imran Khan. In 33 World Cup matches, Miandad scored 1,083 runs at an average of over 43.
Miandad scored a century (163) on their Test debut in Lahore in the first Test against New Zealand in 1976 and then scored first of his six double-centuries (206) in the third Test in Karachi. In his 100th Test in Lahore in 1989, Miandad scored 145 to become only the second batter (another being Gordon Greenidge) to score centuries in debut and 100th Test.
Miandad scored over 1,000 Test runs against Australia (1,797 in 25 Tests), England (1,329 in 22 Tests), India (2,228 in 28 Tests) and New Zealand (1,919 in 18 Tests), while he scored over 1,000 ODI runs against Australia (1,019 in 35 matches), India (1,175 in 35 matches), Sri Lanka (1,141 in 35 matches) and West Indies (1,930 in 64 matches).