Lisa Sthalekar ICC Hall of FameLisa Sthalekar ICC Hall of Fame

The Indian born former Australian Women’s Cricket captain Lisa Sthalekar, has become the 27th Australian to be inducted into the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) Hall of Fame. She is 1 of the 3 inductees alongside Zaheer Abbas and Jacques Kallis for the year 2020.

That Lisa Sthalekar would follow the likes of Belinda Clark, Ricky Ponting and Karen Rolton into the ICC’s Hall of Fame was inevitable.

Lis is not only aformer Australian team’s captain but also a four-time World Cup winner and a two-time Belinda Clark Award winner.

Lisa made history to be the first woman to achieve the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in one-day internationals Women’s international cricket.

Lisa finished on a high completing 185 games for Australia across all formats and making 3913 runs and taking 229 wickets.

In addition to Lisa’s achievements on the playing field, Lisa has now broken into the TV commentary and is an integral part of the Australian cricket folklore when it comes to the summer of cricket.

Her inclusion into the ICC’s Hall of Fame is not only welcomed by Australians but cricket lovers all over the world, particularly in India where she was born.

Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy congratulated Sthalekar after learning she had been added to the exclusive club.

“It’s no surprise to anybody involved in the game that this is finally happening,” Healy said congratulating Lisa.

“Your contributions both on and off the field so far in your life are pretty remarkable and it’s something that’s thoroughly well-deserved.

“The impact you had as a player is there for everyone to see in your stats but more importantly the impact you’ve had on women’s cricket as a whole, both when you were playing and when you finished your career is pretty special and should be celebrated.”


ICC
@ICC

ICC Hall of Fame 2020: Lisa Sthalekar
ODI World Cup winner in 2005 & 2013
T20 World Cup winner in 2010 & 2012
First woman to achieve the ODI double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets
A true ambassador of the game!

https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1297465450721312768

Shuchi Kulshreshtha, a fan in India – enjoyed the news – the whole day obsessing it. She wrote:

Shuchi Kulshreshtha

@shuchi_cu Aug 23

Replying to @ICC

I CANNOT STOP SMILING!!!! THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I’VE SEEN.. TENDULAR – GAVASKAR – ANOTHER ‘Kar’ STHALEKAR!!!!!

@sthalekar93

I’m going to obsess about it all day!

https://twitter.com/shuchi_cu/status/1297467785979629568

Born in 1979 in the city of Pune – and named Laila at birth – a newborn Lisa was placed at the Shreevatsa orphanage by her biological parents, who were unable to support her.

A couple from Michigan US, Haren (himself Mumbai born) and Sue Sthalekar – having adopted one daughter six years earlier, to complete their family – adopted Lisa and that is how Laila became Lisa Sthalekar the whole world knows today.

The couple finally moved – from the US – to Sydney, giving Australia our Lisa Sthalekar, making not only Australia but also India immensely proud.

Lisa was introduced to backyard cricket by her father. Later she joined the local cricket club and the rest is history.

Thanks to Haren and Sue Stahlekar, we now have 3 ‘kars’ as greats of the game – Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Lisa Sthalekar!

By Raj