This is a list of cricketers who were also knighted. [1] The list is divided into two categories: one for those (22 players) who were knighted for their services to cricket, and one for Test cricketers (8 players) who were knighted for other reasons.
A separate list shows Test cricketers who hold or have held other notable titles, including baronetcies and Indian princely titles.
This section includes all administrators, coaches, cricketers, umpires and writers who were knighted for their services to the game.
This list only includes Test cricketers; there are many others who played cricket at a variety of other levels, from school cricket to first-class cricket.
Sir Richard John Hadlee is a New Zealand former cricketer. Hadlee is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history, and amongst the very finest fast bowlers.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V and comprises five classes across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order.
The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the most ancient sort of British knight, but Knights Bachelor rank below knights of chivalric orders. A man who is knighted is formally addressed as "Sir [First Name] [Surname]" or "Sir [First Name]" and his wife as "Lady [Surname]".
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards is an Antiguan retired cricketer who represented the West Indies cricket team between 1974 and 1991. Batting generally at number three in a dominant West Indies side, Richards is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Richards helped win his team the 1979 Cricket World Cup.
Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd, CM is a Guyanese-British former cricketer and captain of the West Indies cricket team. Lloyd is widely regarded as one of the greatest captains of all time. As a boy he went to Chatham High School in Georgetown. At the age of 14 he was captain of his school cricket team in the Chin Cup inter-school competition. One of his childhood memories is of sitting in a tree outside the ground overlooking the sightscreen watching Garry Sobers score two centuries for West Indies v Pakistan. Lloyd captained the West Indies in three World Cups, winning in 1975 and 1979 while losing the 1983 final to India.
Sir Clyde Leopold Walcott KA, GCM, OBE was a West Indian cricketer. Walcott was a member of the "three W's", the other two being Everton Weekes and Frank Worrell: all were very successful batsmen from Barbados, born within a short distance of each other in Bridgetown, Barbados in a period of 18 months from August 1924 to January 1926; all made their Test cricket debut against England in 1948. In the mid-1950s, Walcott was arguably the best batsman in the world. In later life, he had an active career as a cricket administrator, and was the first non-English and non-white chairman of the International Cricket Council.
Christopher Stuart Cowdrey is a former English cricketer. Cowdrey played for Kent, Glamorgan and England as an all-rounder. He is the eldest son of the cricketer and life peer, Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge. He was educated at Tonbridge School.
Lt. Col. Pusapati Vijaya Ananda Gajapathi Raju, better known as the Maharajkumar of Vizianagram or Vizzy, was an Indian cricketer, cricket administrator and politician.
Nawab Mohammad Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, sometimes I. A. K. Pataudi, was an Indian prince and cricket player.
Sir Charles Christopher Griffith, KA, SCM is a West Indian former cricketer who played in 28 Tests from 1960 to 1969. He formed a formidable fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall during the 1960s, but experienced a number of controversies during his career, notably being called for throwing twice, and fracturing the skull of Indian cricket captain Nari Contractor with a bouncer.
Knight or Dame of St Andrew was an award within the Order of Barbados that was part of the national honours system of Barbados when the country was still a realm within the Commonwealth.
The India cricket team toured England in the 1936 season and played 28 first-class fixtures, winning only four whilst losing 12 and drawing 12. They played three Test matches against England and lost the series 2–0 with one match drawn. England won the First Test by 9 wickets at Lord's; the Second Test at Old Trafford was drawn; England won the Third Test at The Oval by 9 wickets.
Nawab Mohammad Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was an Indian cricketer and a former captain of the Indian cricket team.
Ceylonese recipients of British titles conferred on the advice of Her Majesty's Ceylon Ministers. This list includes all those who were born in, worked in or lived in Ceylon.
Devraj Puri was an Indian cricketer and commentator. He played first-class cricket for several teams including Bengal and Delhi. He played one unofficial Test match for India against the Australians in 1935-36. After his playing career, he became a cricket commentator. In contemporary reports, his name often appears as Dev Raj Puri or D. R. Puri.
Brigadier Michael James Babington Smith, known in London as MJBS, was a British banker, sportsman and soldier from the Babington family. During the Second World War, he served under General Dwight D. Eisenhower as Director of Finance at SHAEF from 1943 to 1945. Following the war, he was a director of the Bank of England for two decades. He served as treasurer of the National Art Collections Fund and was twice High Sheriff of the County of London.
The 1946 New Year Honours were appointments by many of the Commonwealth Realms of King George VI to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and to celebrate the passing of 1945 and the beginning of 1946. They were announced on 1 January 1946.