ADCC rope in Altaf

Saleem Altaf, the former Pakistan cricketer with tremendous off-the-field experience, has been drafted in by the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council (ADCC) to head the new Zayed Cricket Stadium in the capital.

"Saleem Altaf will be joining us by the end of this month and he will be totally in charge with the development of the stadium," said ADCC President Mansour Javed.

Altaf, who has had a long stint here in the capital during his tenure as Manager of the Pakistan International Airlines and has also played in the league here, comes with a tremendous amount of experience both on and off the field.

"We feel his appointment is at the right time since the stadium is expected to be completed around April next year and work is progressing at a fast pace," Javed said.

Altaf, who made his Test debut for Pakistan in 1967, played his last Test for them against India in 1978-79. Altaf, who was Pakistan's fastest bowler in 1967 has 46 Test wickets apart from 334 first class wickets. Further his experience as a top PIA official and having served outside the sub-continent have all contributed in his appointment.

"We are working towards an inaugural international tournament involving both India and Pakistan. We did have some positive talks with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, but they now have a new set of officials. The initial response has been good," Mansour Javed added.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Honorary Chairman of Emirates Cricket Board, and under whose supervision and guidance the Zayed Cricket Stadium construction is on, will be visiting the site tomorrow morning.