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SPORTS February 26, 2021 | The Indian Eye 48

World’s biggest stadium in the

‘powerhouse of cricket’

The 1,32,000-seater Cricket Stadium in Motera is now named after Narendra Modi

Our Bureau
Ahmedabad

he 1,32,000-seater Nar-
endra Modi Cricket Sta-
Tdium in Motera has be-
come the world’s largest cricket
stadium.
The Motera is now the
world’s largest cricket stadi-
um with a capacity of 1,32,000
spectators. While most cricket
grounds are built round in shape,
the Motera Stadium in Ahmed-
abad is oval. And the reason
behind that is to ensure that the
size of the boundary remains
the same irrespective of the
pitch on which a match is being
played. There are a total of 11
pitches on the ground -- six are
of red soil and five of black soil.
Speaking at the inaugu- best stadiums in the world.
ration of the Narendra Modi “I went to see the Motera
Cricket Stadium and the foun- Stadium, I tried to understand
dation stone laying ceremony everything virtually, be it the
of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel size, design, or structure. I
Sports Enclave in Ahmedabad, can say that the Motera Stadi-
President Kovind said that the um which is the largest in the
stadium also provides world- world, is not just the biggest,
class facilities for various sport- but is one of the best stadiums
ing activities. in the world. The facilities for
The President also congrat- the spectators and players are
ulated officials of the Gujarat top-notch. This is not only the
Cricket Association, who were largest but it is one of the best
instrumental in giving the pres- stadiums in the world. I am
ent shape to the new stadium. “India is called the ‘Power to materialise, we have to pro- very proud that our country has
“With a gold rating of House of Cricket’ or ‘Hub of vide the world-class infrastruc- such a stadium. I thank Prime
green-building certification, Cricket’, so it is quite appropri- ture the same way we have done Minister Narendra Modi for
this is also a good example of ate that the world’s largest crick- for cricket. With this objective, conceptualising this stadium
eco-friendly development. The et stadium is also now in our it is significant that the Govern- and then I thank Home Min-
stadium showcases the aspira- country,” he said. ment of Gujarat has taken the ister Amit Shah for ensuring
tions and capabilities of the New Highlighting that many initiative to build an interna- that the stadium is construct-
India that has made a strong young cricketers in India, com- tional level sports enclave with- ed within 2.5 years,” said Rijiju
mark on the world stage,” he said. ing from villages across the in the premises of the Narendra while talking to select media in
He further said that the dom- country are working hard and Modi Stadium.” Ahmedabad.
inance that India has achieved gradually emerging as signifi- Kiren Rijiju, the Union Speaking to ANI, a Gujarat
in cricket reinforces the belief cant sporting talents, he said: Minister for Youth Affairs and Cricket Association (GCA) offi-
the country has the potential to “Our youth have the capability Sports said that the newly-built cial had explained how the oval
achieve a higher position in the to perform well in other sports Motera Stadium is not just the shape of the Sardar Patel Guja-
world in several other fields as well. on international levels. For this largest, but it is also one of the rat Stadium makes it unique.

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