Another cricket stadium in the doldrums

Mirpur committee member blames PCB for venue degradation.

MIRPUR, AJK: Niaz Stadium celebrated a low-profile 50th anniversary earlier this month, the venue’s state not in sync with it’s rich legacy. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) slackness has caused a once world-class Mirpur Stadium to also witness decline, according to an official.

Mohammad Nawaz Ratiyal, member of the stadium’s management committee, said the PCB was in charge of maintenance since taking charge in July 2008. However, the stadium is now in poor shape and five employees appointed by the PCB have not been paid for three months.

“The PCB hasn’t bothered to maintain the venue,” Ratiyal told The Express Tribune. “Under the memorandum of understanding, the board is bound to install floodlights, a digital scoreboard and canopies. It was also supposed to conduct high profile games at the venue, but none of this has happened.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2012.