PERTH: The Inter­national Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday approved the new Perth Stadium to host all international formats of all the game, formally lowering the curtain on the city’s venerable WACA Ground.

The new 60,000-capacity stadium will host the sold-out One-day International against England on Jan 28 in the first sporting event held at the state-of-the-art arena.

ICC match referee Richie Richardson submitted a gushing report after inspecting the venue.

“This is by far the most impressive and well laid-out stadium I have ever visited,” he said. “The comprehensive amenities, along with the quality and functionality of the facility, surpasses the required standard to host any international cricket match.”

The West Indies great added that it was “a wonderful, refreshing, world-class stadium, and I have no hesitation in recommending that the venue is approved for staging all three formats of international cricket”.

The WACA, which has hosted cricket matches since the early 1890s, will be turned into a boutique ground with a capacity of 10,000-15,000 by the local board.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2018