Saleem Altaf could swing the ball at high speeds and this made him a priceless commodity to have, particularly on pitches that didn't offer much for the pacers. Although his brief career didn't produce numbers to write home about, Altaf was a utility product for Pakistan during the era in which he played. Renowned for his genuine pace, his career started with a jolt during the 1967 tour of England where he tore a muscle and the injury recurred throughout his career. The fitness issues meant that he was never really at full throttle and had to bowl within himself. Altaf was a useful lower order batsman too, more than capable of using the long handle. After retirement, he was involved in administration, firstly as a national selector before becoming PCB's Director of Cricket at one point in the 2000s.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan