Motera Cricket Stadium, World’s Biggest, to be Renamed as Narendra Modi Stadium

Motera Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad has been renamed Narendra Modi Stadium. The world’s biggest cricket Stadium, with a seating capacity of 1,10,000 will be hosting the pink-ball Test between India and England from Wednesday.

The stadium will be a part of the planned Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in the city. Ahead of the first day’s play, Ram Nath Kovind performed bhumi pujan of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Ahmedabad’s Motera. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel were also present on the occasion.

“Coupled with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, a sports complex will also be built in Naranpura. These three will be equipped to host any international sports event,” Home Minister Amit Shah said at the event.

“Ahmedabad will be known as the ‘sports city’ of India,” he added.

“Not just for cricket but it’s a proud moment for India. Besides being the largest cricket stadium, it’s also one of the most modern stadiums in the world,” Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said earlier.

“As children, we used to dream about the world’s largest stadium in India. And now as sports minister, my happiness knows no bounds that this has finally happened,” he had said. The stadium held the knockout stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this year.

Though the capacity of the stadium has been capped at 50 per cent due to Covid-19 protocols, the 50-plus thousand fans are still expected to light up the stadium as India is set to witness only its second home pink-ball Test.