BARBADOS: Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has taken over the ceremonial role of ICC president for a one-year term.

The ICC Annual Conference in Barbados on Wednesday approved Abbas' nomination and encouraged member countries to appoint former leading players to the role.

The 67-year-old Abbas said he wanted the ICC "to strive to inspire more and more people to fall in love with the game we cherish."

Abbas played 78 tests, scoring 5,062 runs and another 2,572 runs in 62 ODIs in between 1969-85. He also played in three World Cups and is the only Asian batsman to score more than a hundred first-class centuries.