- The Narendra Modi Stadium is the biggest cricket stadium worldwide as of 2022.
- The stadium, which Gujarat Cricket Association owns, has a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators.
- The stadium hosts cricket matches as well as programs arranged by the Government of Gujarat.
The Narendra Modi Stadium, with a capacity of 132,000, is the biggest cricket stadium in the world.
The Narendra Modi Stadium is situated inside the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Ahmedabad, India.
Gujarat Cricket Association owns the stadium, which hosts Test, ODI, Indian Premier League and T20I cricket matches.
Apart from cricket matches, The Narendra Modi Stadium also hosts several programs arranged by the Government of Gujarat.
The Narendra Modi Stadium is the biggest cricket stadium in the world. Photo/ BCCI.tv.
The stadium hosted the Namaste Trump event, which was attended by former US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Narendra Modi Stadium was previously known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium and Motera Cricket Stadium.
Between 1982 and 2006, The Narendra Modi Stadium had a capacity to hold 49,000 fans. The capacity increased to 54,000 between 2006 and 2015.
As of 2022, the biggest cricket stadium in the world has the capacity to hold 132,000 fans. It took four years to renovate The Narendra Modi Stadium to its current capacity, but the outcome was worth the wait.
The cricket stadium boasts four dressing rooms, a warm-up area and two gyms. It also has a 55-room clubhouse, a squash court, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a gymnasium and a steam and sauna.
The Narendra Modi Stadium is a must-visit if you’re a cricket fan.
History
The Narendra Modi Stadium, the biggest cricket stadium worldwide, was formerly known as the Gujarat Stadium. It was later renamed in tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who is India’s first Home Minister.
Before the Sardar Patel Stadium, international cricket matches in the city were played at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s stadium of the same name (Sardar Patel Stadium) in the Navrangpura area.
The Government of Gujarat donated 100-acre land on the banks of the Sabarmati River in 1982 to build a new stadium.
It took just nine months to complete the construction of the Sardar Patel Stadium. And since then, it has hosted all the international matches happening in the city.
The Sardar Patel Stadium hosted its first-ever ODI during the 1984-85 Australia-India series. The match which was between India and Australia was won by the visitors.
The Sardar Patel Stadium has hosted games every time India hosts the Cricket World Cup. The first match of the 1996 World Cup between New Zealand and England happened at Sardar Patel Stadium. It later hosted one Cricket World Cup game in 1987.
The stadium rose to prominence during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006. But before hosting the tournament, Sardar Patel Stadium underwent a renovation to add three new pitches and a new outfield.
It hosted five of the 15 games played during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006. During the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Sardar Patel Stadium hosted three games, including the quarter-finals between India and Australia.
Narendra Modi, the president of the Gujarat Cricket Association, proposed the idea of demolishing Sardar Patel Stadium and building a new stadium.
Shortly after Modi moved to Delhi and became the Prime Minister of India, discussions about minor upgrades began.
However, Modi asked the officials to build a new stadium instead of doing the renovations they were planning. The Sardar Patel Stadium was demolished in October 2015 so as to initiate redevelopment.
The reconstruction was originally planned to take four years and cost around $88 million. However, the redevelopment finished in February 2020 and took $100 million.
Ram Nath Kovind, the former president of India, inaugurated The Narendra Modi Stadium in front of a host of dignitaries on February 24, 2021.
The Narendra Modi has a seating capacity of 132,000. Photo/ Scroll.in.
Significance
Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was the first cricketer to score 10,000 Test runs during India’s match against Pakistan in 1987.
Sachin Tendulkar was the first cricketer to score 18,000 runs in One Day Internationals at the biggest cricket stadium in the world.
AB de Villiers reached his first double-hundred against India in 2008 during the second test of South Africa’s tour to India.
The Narendra Modi Stadium, the biggest cricket stadium in the world, hosted its first-ever pink ball test match on February 24, 2021.
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