HYDERABAD, April 25: Rani Bagh Cricket Ground, developed by Pakistan Cricket Board under “Vision 2005” has been completed and handed over to the District Cricket Association, Hyderabad (DCAH).

Rani Bagh Cricket Ground is one of the historic venues of early 1950s when Pakistan played against India and MCC before getting Test status.

Under Vision 2005, Pakistan Cricket Board selected this historic ground and spent millions of rupees for development of the said venue with construction of a small but beautiful pavilion having dressing rooms and umpire’s room, installation of iron cage and improvement of grass on water logged outfield.

The newly developed Rani Bagh Ground is an addition of another venue in Hyderabad having turf pitch with two practice pitches.

Earlier, only Niaz Stadium was fulfilling the responsibility of improving the performance of cricketers of Hyderabad according to national standard.

In addition to Rani Bagh Cricket Ground, the PCB also took initiative to make another small stadium at Kohisar Housing Society, Airport Road, Latifabad. The work will be started by June 2003, said PCB Project Director Yar Muhammed Solangi .

Cricket organisers of Hyderabad have expressed their reservations over handing over Rani Bagh Cricket Ground to DCAH.

The present office bearers have already sidelined the cricket of Hyderabad and handing over the ground to them will bring another disaster to the cricket of Hyderabad, said Majeed Sheerani, a former secretary, Hyderabad Division Cricket Association (HDCA).

He was pessimistic how the present office bearers of district cricket association can maintain the ground when they failed to provide connections of electric and water supply to the ground.

The PCB has agreed in principle to establish cricket academy in a portion of this ground while the centre will also be the headquarter of proposed regional cricket set-up of Hyderabad, therefore, the PCB should maintain the said ground according to its own resources instead of relying upon the office bearers of District Cricket Association Hyderabad, he suggested.—APP