Hayatabad stadium set to host int’l matches from Jan

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Director General Sports Asfandyar Khan Khattak on Monday stated that the newly revamped Hayatabad Cricket Stadium will be ready to host international cricket matches from January next year.

Speaking to the media during his visit to the Hayatabad Sports Complex as per the directives of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Khattak said the installation of 6,000 seats, imported from Spain, has been started at the “PCB-ICC certified Cricket Stadium” in the complex.

“All the durable fixed seating having full comfort level would be installed within the next two months besides 2,500 other durable fixed seating, also imported from Spain, would be reaching next month and to be installed in VIP, and VVIP enclosures of the main pavilion,” he said. “90 per cent work on the pavilion was completed and that was why the process of installing comfortable seats has been started.”

It has also been decided to hold the semi-finals and final matches of the PCB Inter-School U16 Cricket Championship at the Hayatabad Cricket Stadium on Nov 3 and 4, 2021.          

The Hayatabad Cricket Stadium, approved by the PCB-ICC is going to be completed at a total cost of Rs193 million on the special directive of K-P CM and will be completed by the end of December or early January.

The DG informed reporters that a glass wall and ceiling work of the first and second floors of the five story pavilion has been started. “Preparation on nine international standard pitches have been completed while work is currently underway on seven other practice pitches which are being prepared on fast track and the PCB Curator is looking after all pitches.”

Khattak further said that in light of the directives of the CM, the completion work on the stadium is in full swing. According to the Project Director, the stadium should be handed over to Pakistan Cricket Board delegates in December for playing purposes.     

He added that PSL, Women National Team’s international matches and modern style school cricket matches would be held at the ground in future.

Thanking the PCB and ICC delegations for extending their guideline time to time to the K-P government he said, a modern touch like Australian, England, and New Zealand spectators' fences with grassy surfaces have also been developed in order to ensure a full entertaining look to the general public during international matches.

It is pertinent to note that the work on the electronic scoreboard has been completed and the modern electronic scoreboard will arrive from Spain next month before being installed on modern lines.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2021.