Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar was named the best Asian one-day batsman at the inaugural Asian cricket Council (ACC) awards ceremony in Karachi last night.
Tendulkar, who is recovering from a groin injury, could not make it to the ceremony and India ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni collected the award on his behalf.
Three Sri Lankans walked away with top awards with wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara receiving the best Asian Test batsman award while country-mates Muttiah Muralitharan and Farveez Maharoof named the best Asian Test and ODI bowlers respectively.
Former India and Pakistan captains Sunil Gavaskar and Imran Khan were also honoured with special awards named "legendary cricketers" of both countries.
The ACC also gave away a special award of "best administrator" to Colonel (retd) Nur Khan, former President of the Pakistan Cricket Board, who played a significant role in forming the ACC.
The septuagenarian Nur Khan who took his award from former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga got a standing ovation from the gathering at the ceremony.
Khan, who had also remained President of Pakistan Hockey and Squash Federations, is credited of playing a big role in promoting Pakistan and Indian cricket at the world level and also producing a lineage of great sportsmen.
PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf, who took over as ACC President, said the awards were meant to honour and recognise the outstanding performers of the continent.
"Our sportsmen need to be recognised and rewarded for their achievements specially when Asia has now become a powerhouse in world cricket," he said.
