ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: Zakir Hussain Syed has been appointed Development Manager for Asia by the Asian Cricket Council, it was learnt on Monday.

His responsibilities would involve promotion and development of cricket in Asia, especially in the non-Test playing countries with greater emphasis on institution based development.

Zakir was reportedly the unanimous choice of the chief executives of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, chairman of the Asian Cricket Foundation, Jagmohan Dalmiya and others.

The ACC had earlier appointed Roger Binny (India), Rumesh Ratnayake (Sri Lanka) and Iqbal Sikander (Pakistan) as development officers with proper country-wise distribution of work.

The International Cricket Council has released a sum of $6.5 million to the ACC for a two-year period for cricket development with a commitment for a similar amount every two years until 2007.

The amount is 50 per cent net profit of ICC knockout tournaments which has been accepted as the rightful share of the Asian region.

Zakir will continue to act as the secretary of the ACC, a position he is currently holding.