Ahmedabad's Sardar Patel Cricket inaugrated after being renamed as 'Narendra Modi Stadium'
Friday, February 26, 2021
On Wednesday, India's president, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the world's largest cricket stadium, Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. Narendra Modi is the current Prime Minister of India.
In his opening ceremony speech, President Kovind said "This stadium was conceptualised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. He was president of the Gujarat Cricket Association at that time". India's Home Minister Amit Shah, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and members of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also attended the inauguration ceremony.
Later that day, the stadium hosted its first international match with India taking on England in the Day-Night Test match.
The new building can accommodate about 132 thousand spectators. It was erected in place of a 49 thousand seat stadium, named after Sardar Patel, the first deputy Prime Minister of India. The stadium is part of the planned Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in the city.
Sources
- PTI. "Motera stadium renamed Narendra Modi Stadium as President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates the venue" — TOI, February 24, 2021
- "Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium renamed as Narendra Modi Stadium" — Times Now, February 24, 2021
- Mahesh Langa. "Motera cricket stadium, world’s largest, named after Modi" — The Hindu, February 24, 2021