amim Iqbal awarded MCC honorary life membership

Former national captain and the current President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Tamim Iqbal, has been awarded Honorary Life Membership by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). He receives this prestigious recognition for his prolonged contributions to international cricket alongside four other renowned global cricketers this year.

In an official media release on Sunday, the MCC announced that Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal, India’s Cheteshwar Pujara, New Zealand's Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine, and Australia’s Mel Jones have accepted the Honorary Life Membership.

Making his Test debut in 2008, Tamim established himself as one of the most successful batters in Bangladesh's cricket history. He is the country's second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket with over 5,000 runs, and holds the record for the highest run-scorer for Bangladesh in ODIs, amassing over 8,000 runs in 243 matches.

Tamim previously etched his name onto the historic Lord's Honors Board after scoring a century against England in 2010. The following year, the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack named him both their 'Cricketer of the Year' and 'Test Cricketer of the Year'. He recently transitioned into cricket administration, becoming the youngest person to assume the role of BCB President.

Among the other inductees, New Zealand stars Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine are set to retire from international cricket following the conclusion of this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup. The MCC confirmed that Bates, Devine, and Mel Jones officially accepted their memberships during a ceremony hosted at Lord's.

India's Cheteshwar Pujara receives the honor after scoring 7,195 runs across 103 Test matches for his country, alongside an illustrious first-class career featuring over 21,000 runs. Australia's Mel Jones is recognized for both her playing career and her extensive post-retirement contributions as a commentator and advocate for the development of women's cricket.

Rob Lynch, the Chief Executive and Secretary of the MCC, expressed his delight, stating that the club is thrilled to welcome five exceptional cricketers as new Honorary Life Members, adding that the recognition is fully deserved given their lifelong dedication and contributions to the sport.