PCB to build international stadium in Islamabad

E-Paper | October 30, 2026

PCB to build international stadium in Islamabad

APP Published May 7, 2012

Ashraf vowed to make the stadium central to the training and grooming of cricketers from not only Islamabad, but adjoining regions such as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Zaka Ashraf vowed to make the stadium central to the training and grooming of cricketers from not only Islamabad, but adjoining regions such as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. – File photo by Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to build an international cricket stadium and an academy in Islamabad.

PCB, on Monday, was allotted 35 acres of land by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the establishment of a stadium in the Shakarparian area of the capital, a press release said.

Both bodies signed a memorandum of understanding, in the presence of PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf, CDA Chairman Farkhand Iqbal and Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Task Force for Islamabad Faisal Sakhi Butt.

“The international cricket stadium will be an added feature in the capital’s modern development,” Butt said.

The stadium and the academy will be geared towards providing better training facilities to the locals.

“This region has a great talent for cricket and by establishing an academy, we will aim to nurture and polish that talent,” Ashraf told reporters.

Ashraf vowed to make the stadium central to the training and grooming of cricketers from not only Islamabad, but adjoining regions such as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the agreement, CDA will receive a revenue share of 30 per cent from every national and international match, while the remaining 70 per cent will go to the PCB.

Currently, there are no PCB-owned cricket stadiums or academies in the capital. The Diamond Club Ground is used by the regional team (Federal Areas) during domestic tournaments. Rawalpindi, however, is home to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which has hosted eight Test matches and 23 one-day internationals.

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Faisal

May 07, 2012 07:00pm

Why a stadium in islamabad when both PCB and CDA are in dire need of cash. We already have a stadium in pindi and that still can be used for both pindi and islamabad. Instead of building a stadium in islamabad, i guess its better if PCB spend that money in building cricket grounds and smaller stadiums in smaller towns of balochistan, sindh, punjab, KP & AJK. Again there will b arguments in favor of a stadium in islamabad as its the capital and i agree when pakistan will become a developed country then we can have international stadium in isb but at the moment we need to groom our next generation and i think best use of this money is to develop ground and smaller stadiums

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M Sam

May 07, 2012 11:32pm

We hav Rawalpindi stadium. Don't u cut a single tree!

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mubarak

May 08, 2012 03:27am

Amidst news of so much destruction , a news on construction provides much releif

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Parvez Aslam

May 07, 2012 08:02pm

Parvez First thing first get some other country team comes and plays safely, then invest money into state of art stadium.

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Capricorn

May 07, 2012 07:10pm

Why waste so much money. Which International team is going to come visit? This money should be spent elsewhere.

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Adil Jadoon

May 08, 2012 02:05pm

We need schools and hospitals, not stadiums that are not even necessary. The idea is to embezzle money during the construction. As for the area it wont be calm and quiet anymore, there is already a stadium there.

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John

May 07, 2012 09:31pm

This will help to promote soft image of Pakistan.

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Eric M.

May 07, 2012 08:28pm

And I bet it will be named Benazir Bhutto Stadium. What's wrong with the stadium in Rawalpindi? It's only 20km away. Just open the academy there.

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indrajit

May 08, 2012 11:27am

i think ,By bulding new stadium you creates job, also this stadium make country feel proud.

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Mansour

May 07, 2012 08:47pm

Whats the point building so close to Rawalpindi Stadium, less than 10 miles apart ?

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zia

May 07, 2012 06:17pm

i Think This stadium should be the biggest and state of the art stadium of Pakistan.

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Nasser Ali Khan

May 08, 2012 09:10am

Sheer waste of taxpayer's money by inept and unelected people!

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khurrum khan azad

May 08, 2012 01:17am

maybe spend the money to improve security so international teams visit Pakistan? wont that make more sense?

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ahmed

May 08, 2012 02:06am

This will be beneficial for the regional cricket. One Thing I may say that they should get grass from Canada as this grass does not die even in snow.

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S Bash

May 08, 2012 02:22am

I suggest to build a stadium in Gwadar Port and secure it. International teams can fly into Gwadar or land by ship and leave from Gwadar. People should enter from one main entrance that should be guarded and have tight security at the entrance. This will be the safest place to play Test and other matches. It will be easy to secure new place than securing crowded city. I may be wrong. Please comment for my curiosity. Please give your ideas and suggestions to keep the cricket alive in Pakistan. Thanks,

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tshirtdesign

May 08, 2012 04:07am

Such steps are mere cosmetic measures to the real issues: worsening law and order situation in the country and lost trust of International teams in us as a safe and secure place to play cricket. Further, in the name of nurturing and polishing local talent, many pockets in CDA and PCB will sink deeper with the weight of dollars.

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Waqas Malik

May 08, 2012 11:56am

great Idea it would attract international cricket and would portray a better image of our country...moreover the area selected is peaceful and away from the city thus there would no traffic issues as well. The only point to ponder upon is that trees should not be cut and if it is mandatory 4 should be planted against every single tree cut.

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B Shehriar M

May 08, 2012 05:47am

This country has so many other issues such as rampant crime, poverty, illiteracy, drug abuse to name a few and how do we confront and solve these issues - build state of the art cricket stadiums so the elite class can squander the tax money of the public in pursuits of idle fancies.

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Khwaja Rizwan

May 08, 2012 05:51am

Keep wasting money on new stadiums while existing ones lie vacant.

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Sahil Indian

May 08, 2012 12:17pm

PCB have to invest money for betterment of cricket which includes building of grounds,infrastructure, players affairs etc.Security problem is upto Govt.of pakistan.Negative minded people should learn this thing.

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Junaid Fayyaz

May 08, 2012 05:59am

Guys this is a strategy of PCB chairman. Building a modern stadium will be an art in itself. But the actual purpose is something else. Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan,anyone from outside who visits Pakistan mostly arrives at Islamabad or Lahore. But mainly Islamabad.. Its consider the safest place is Pakistan, becz all foreign delegates from each country are in isl and the all the government authorites are in isl. By doing this PCB will convince teams to tour Pakistan as all the facts mentioned above.

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jawaid

May 08, 2012 06:07am

it is totally wastage of nation money.. i ask question to mr zaka....current cricket staduim are not enough for playing cricket.?wyh you waste money in this type of unnecessary work..mr zaka first you give security to forign team.then you you make international staduim..

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Soren Lorenson

May 08, 2012 07:37am

The same money could be used for employment generation and improving infrastructure. The security situation in Pakistan makes this a poor investment that will yield a demanding elephant in the future. Soren

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heart beats

May 08, 2012 08:00am

it's a nice development but they should take serious steps against security threats for other teams.

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Noor

May 08, 2012 08:33am

Bash this stadium will be adjacent to or part of Islamabad sports complex and is very near to red zone, so security will not be an issue at all, i think this is an excellent approach.

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syed

May 09, 2012 06:18am

It is good to have a new stadium in Islamabad but there are other pressing issues which are being neglected by the government they should be resolved first, law and order, restoring the dignity of citizens, showing respect to courts and should start honoring its judgments and to root out corruption from the ruling class and government functionaries. There is no need for new stadium at this point, does any body know when will international teams start visiting Pakistan.

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