May 24, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 07, 1428

ABU DHABI, May 23: Pakistan team manager-cum-coach Talat Ali said 2-1 one-day series triumph over World Cup finalists Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi will be a turning point in Pakistan cricket.

The former Test batsman, who is at helm of team in absence of a full-time coach, said, “Winning the first two matches and cricket series here against Sri Lanka is a turning point and for the good of Pakistan cricket.”

After the disastrous show of Pakistan in the World Cup, he believes captain Shoaib Malik and company has done hard work to achieve positive result here.

“The team had under-performed and was down. However, the boys have been working very, very hard, both during the short camp as well as here on the tour,” Talat said.

Meanwhile, a full-fledged cricket academy will be set up at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

After the successful staging of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka ODI series the other day, the second international tournament here in two years, the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council (ADCC) is now all set to undertake further phase of development for the game in the UAE.

Speaking during the third and final ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Higher Education Minister and ADCC Chairman said: “The series has been a great success and all three days of the event received very well with large crowds turning out. We are already in planning stage to add on some facilities to the Stadium. We have decided to build a full-fledged cricket academy that will help serve the community here.

“We have lot of expatriates playing cricket here while quite a few UAE nationals also have begun to excel. I used to play in my school days and today it is passionately followed all around the world. We have plans to develop the game and keep Abu Dhabi on the international cricket map,” Sheikh Nahyan said.

—Agencies