HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah is quite passionate about hosting the matches of the fourth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Sindh’s historic Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad after his party’s government returns to power as a result of 2018 polls.
“We are aiming to hold matches of next year’s PSL at the Niaz Stadium,” said a beaming CM here on Friday night while answering a question about the PSL final in Karachi. “More matches are in store for Sindh Inshallah,” he remarked.
He expressed delight at the fact that arrangements have been adequately made to hold PSL’s final between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United in National Stadium Karachi (NSK) on Sunday (today).
And perhaps that’s why Sindh government has decided to take back the control over the Niaz Stadium from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and develop the ground on its own as it is property of Sindh government’s local bodies department. It is time to remind PCB of its indifference towards Niaz Stadium which it has been managing for the last 11 years.
“The Chief Minister has asked us [LG department being its custodian] to take back the control of stadium if PCB is not willing to develop it in line with Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the then district government in 2007. LG owns this historic stadium and we will do it on our own,” confirmed Sindh LG Minister Jam Khan Shoro in whose constituency the ground is located.
PCB’s indifference to historic venue irks local officials
After signing of MoU on July 17,2007 by PCB, then headed by Dr Nasim Ashraf, has never shown keenness to develop the ground despite the passage a decade and more. It is only outfield’s upkeep PCB could hardly be credited with. Other infrastructure is yet to see a single piece of development of note.
When the ground hosted ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe it was the district government that renovated it to give some facelift to stadium whose outfield is said to be best one among all stadiums.
While in Friday’s interaction with media, PCB chief Najam Sethi did express his resolve to build two new stadiums in Peshawar and Islamabad he ignored commenting on the fate of Niaz Stadium. PCB, as per MoU, has been under obligation to upgrade it at par with other international cricket stadium.
It is supposed to have flood lights, new enclosures, dressing rooms and other paraphernalia required for such a stadium besides digital screen, electronic score board, fixing of chairs, etc. During stadium’s golden jubilee celebrations in 2012, PCB chief Zaka Ashraf had announced installation of flood lights — a promise yet to be fulfilled thanks to constant change of guard in PCB.
The then Regional Cricket Association (RCA) president and PCB’s governing body member Mir Haider Talpur had pursued this announcement as according to him stadium remained on the board’s list of ongoing projects including Multan, Karachi and Garhi Khuda Bux. Gari Khuda Bux Stadium in Larkana was also built by PCB.
“Local Council which is Qasimabad Municipal Committee that is custodian of ground on behalf of LG department has already issued notices repeatedly to PCB to remind it of its commitments [in MoU] but we have not received a positive response from board which is forcing us to take back control of stadium from PCB’, Jam Khan Shoro said.
According to district cricket association president Shakeel Qureshi, he had reminded Shaharyar M Khan of PCB’s commitment in annual general meeting of PCB and Khan had disclosed that an academy would be established in Niaz Stadium. “I sincerely hope Najam Sethi who has been able to bring international cricket to Pakistan will soon take steps to develop it”, he said.
Kanwar Naveed Jamil-led district government Hyderabad had decided to handover administrative control to PCB as then defunct Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) was not able to ensure proper upkeep of ground. Politically influential had started holding weddings on outfield.
Since PCB couldn’t spend money to adequately upgrade the ground’s infrastructure continued to remain in shabby condition with crumbling enclosures. Niaz Stadium being inaugural centre of 1987 Reliance World Cup has been lucky for Pakistan team which remained unbeaten in ODIs and test matches.
During 1996 World Cup Sindh’s ruling party’s co chairman Asif Zardari was chairman organising committee. Still, it was denied a fixture of event on development and maintenance grounds. Over a decade down the road, PCB could not bring a positive improvement barring outfield either.
PCB doesn’t consider allocating National T20 tournament, Pakistan Cup, women cricket matches in Niaz Stadium. It is given matches of domestic season by PCB alone where former and current Pakistani players have been always enjoyed playing and youth throng ground to see them playing.
Discarded wicket-keeper-batsman Kamran Akmal had become Pakistan’s third batsman to score a double hundred against HBL at the ground in one day departmental cup early January this year. Akmal enjoyed playing here at the stadium and without mincing words says PCB must consider allocating more matches of national cup to the ground.
“If it is fitted with flood lights it will be one of the finest stadium of Pakistan. Even in our domestic season cricket crazy youth throng the ground which reflects their passion and excitement for cricket. So, if is developed properly it will be a great cricket centre for people of Sindh”, Akmal observed. “The ground needs replacement of fencing, improvement in dressing rooms and lavatories”, he said.
Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2018
