PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani on Wednesday paid a surprise visit to the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium and inspected the ongoing reconstructing work to make it according to the international standards.

The renovation cost with added modern facilities is estimated at Rs 1.70billion.

Flanked by Director General Sports Asfan­dyar Khan Khattak, Director Develo­pment Niamatullah Khan Marwat, former Test player Kabir Khan, AD Development Munir Abbas, architect Sajjad Khan, the PCB chief said that after the completion of work at the stadium it would help in bringing international cricket back to Peshawar including matches of Pakistan Super League’s sixth edition next year.

Mani, who is on a two-day visit to Peshawar, was briefed by Asfandyar before inspecting the stadium, which will have a seating of 35,000 spectators.

He said the provincial government was very keen to involve the youth in healthy and productive activities and that was why initiative had taken to revamp the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium.

In his briefing DG Sports said that after successful completion of more than 130 grounds across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a 1,000-ground project was initiated by the government during a four-year plan and out of which 40 grounds would be constructed in the merged tribal districts.

He said on the special directives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, the Directorate of Sports started a number of activities to provide opportunities to the youth to exhibit their hidden talent and bring name to the province and the country.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2020