New Zealand cricketing great Martin Crowe will be inducted into the International Cricket Council's hall of fame during the innings break of the World Cup match between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park on Saturday.
He will become the 79th inductee and third New Zealand player after Sir Richard Hadlee and Debbie Hockley to receive the honour.
Crowe, who has a rare blood disease called double-hit lymphoma, said he wouldn't want to miss the match between the two tournament co-hosts and title contenders for anything.
"For me, it will be the only (World Cup) game I get to, and it's almost like a bookend to my cricketing life, to be there on Saturday and watch these boys," Crowe said recently. "It's going to be an incredible battle. You're not going to see fielding sides like these two probably ever in the history of the game."
Crowe made his international debut against Australia in Wellington in February 1982 at the age of 19. He retired 13 years later after playing 77 tests. He scored 5444 runs at an average of 45.36, including 17 centuries, the most by a New Zealander.
Crowe also played 143 one-day internationals, scoring 4704 runs at an average of 38.55. He played in three World Cups, leading New Zealand to the semi-finals in 1992 where his side lost to eventual champion Pakistan at Eden Park.
