Pakistan’s International Cricket starts are set to return to Abu Dhabi later this year for a one-day series against New Zealand. The decision to stage the internationals in Abu Dhabi is a boost to the capital’s hopes of becoming a major cricketing centre, following the recent decision not to allow Pakistan to play their 2011 World Cup home matches in the UAE.

For one-day and two Twenty (20) games are scheduled to be held in the UAE in late October or early November. The matches are likely to be split between Dubai Sports City and the capital’s Zayed Cricket Stadium. They precede a Test series in December, which has been switched to New Zealand. This match surely gives an excitement to both country players as they won’t need to have their natural fat burners either just to loosen their weights as part of their trainings.

Pakistan has been unable to host international cricket since March, when gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore as they traveled to a game. The Pakistan Cricket Board had hoped to play the full series in New Zealand - their next engagement is in Australia later in December - but having all the matches in New Zealand would have meant a clash of television rights. Ten Sports has the TV rights for Pakistan matches, Sky New Zealand controls all games played in its country.

Last month the international Cricket Council turned down appeals to allow Pakistan to play their matches in the 2011 World Cup in the UAE. Despite the wishes of the Pakistan Cricket Board, the 14 fixtures will instead be co-hosted on the Indian subcontinent by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Abu Dhabi’s first air-conditioned bus shelters have made their debut on the capital’s streets. An initial 80 shelters out of a planned total of 550 will provide welcome relief for passengers. It marks a milestone in the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport programme to decrease dependency on private vehicles and reduce road congestion in line wit the capital’s Plan Abu Dhabi 2030.

The shelter serve nine routes around the city and are predominantly located in Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum Street, Old Airport Road, Al Dhafra Base, Hadbat Al Zafaran, Al Reehan, and Zayed Sport City.

Abu Dhabi aims to make public transport the first choice for travel in the Emirate and today’s opening of the first air-conditioned bus shelters marks a significant step forward, as explained by Saeed Al Hameli, General Manager of the Bus Office at the DOT.

“They believes that this will not only increase current passengers satisfaction, but also persuade more people to consider taking the bus which only pays 1 AED than taking a taxi - meaning a greener, more sustainable and less congested Abu Dhabi for everyone.