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| January 20, 2007 | Saturday | Zilhaj 29, 1427 |
PCB gets Arbab Niaz Stadium for four years
PESHAWAR, Jan 19: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has signed three agreements with the NWFP government to upgrade the existing cricket infrastructure in the province. Talking to newsmen on Friday, soon after his meeting with the NWFP Chief Minister Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani, the PCB chief Dr Nasim Ashraf disclosed the NWFP government had agreed in principle to hand over the Arbab Niaz Stadium for its upgrading over the PCB expenses, to hold international games.
Dr Nasim added that the said stadium would be handed over to the PCB for four years with the Board getting the administrative control and rights to hold international matches there.
The PCB, he said, would upgrade the stadium in accordance with the international standards that include provision of electronic scoreboard, and floodlights.
It is significant to note here that the former NWFP governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah, during his tenure, had agreed to hand over the stadium’s administrative control to the PCB but due to different reasons it was delayed.
Now, the NWFP chief minister, during his meeting with Dr Nasim, not only agreed to hand over the Arbab Niaz Stadium to the PCB but also agreed to deliver a piece of land allocated for a cricket stadium, already planned at Regi Lulma Housing Scheme, located some three kms northwest of Hayatabad Residence Society. The PCB would also supply money allocated for the construction of the stadium in Regi Lulma, he expressed.
The PCB, Dr Nasim stated, would provide Rs 10.2 million separately for the upgrade and installation of floodlights at the Arbab Niaz Stadium besides Rs.10.5 million for the installation of electronic scoreboard there.
He added after developing the Arbab Niaz Stadium the ICC may not have any objection over holding ODIs and Tests at the venue.
Meanwhile, speaking to the journalists during a programme organised by the Sarhad Sports Writers Association here at the Peshawar Press Club, Dr Nasim said that Waqar Younis, Pakistan’s former bowling coach, set aside the set procedures while contacting him (Dr Nasim) on telephone to express his concerns over the decision to call him back to Pakistan after giving one-month training to the Pakistan team in South Africa.
"Waqar told me that he wants to resign as a mark of protest against it and in reply I asked him to resign before that,” he said.
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