Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium To Be A Magnificent Addition In Cricketing World: Secretary

Secretary sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abid Majeed on Wednesday said Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium will be a key, modern and magnificent addition in the cricketing world because of its unique, unmatched facilities after its completion

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jul, 2020 ):Secretary sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abid Majeed on Wednesday said Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium will be a key, modern and magnificent addition in the cricketing world because of its unique, unmatched facilities after its completion.

He said this in a press conference soon after inspecting the phase of work.

Deputy Director Sports Development Niamat Ullah Marwat, Deputy Director Sports Aziz Ullah Jan, General Secretary AIPS Asia Amjad Aziz Malik, President Sports Writers Association KP Ijaz Ahmad Khan and a number of other members of Sports Writer were also present on the occasion.

Accompanied with Director General Sports Asfandyar Khan Khattak, Secretary Sports Abid Majeed said that Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has directed him to have a complete look over the phase of work, so that to ensure timely completion of the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium.

"We are hopeful enough to hold two or three matches of the Pakistan Super League at the most picturesque Cricket Ground of the Hayatabad Sports Complex in February next year if the work at Arbab Niaz Stadium is not completed on time," Abid Majeed informed.

The officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board, he said, had detailed visit to the cricketing ground of Hayatabad Sports Complex and they pointed out three to four facilities, the ground has lacked including players dressing rooms, media boxes, electronic scoreboard and boundary wall.

"We are very kind enough to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan for taking prompt action and approved Rs. 300 million to make the venue at bar with international need," he added. He said in addition to Rs. 300 million, Rs. 400 million has been released to the contractors of Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium for timely completion," he explained.

About the opening of grounds, gym and health clubs, he said, we know the players, coaches, sports promoters and sports organizers of the gym and health clubs have badly suffered due to lockdown and closing activities.

The government, he said, had sent SOPs to the federal government for approval and we are hopeful the same would be approved soon after Eid in a meeting to be chaired by Federal Minister for IPC Dr. Fehmida Mirza and representatives from all the provinces.

Soon after the decision from the federal government, international and national activities would be resumed, Abid Majeed said. He said that the pace of construction work on Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium was satisfactory. "Now it will be completed by February and in the next five months from the completion is to make the pitches," he said. Therefore, he said, it will be difficult to hold the PSL matches at Arbab Niaz Stadium Peshawar next year.

He said we are preparing the alternative venue in Hayatabad Sports Complex as soon as we get the instructions from the PCB, we will start the work for which we have allocated funds. The design is ready and the construction company has finalized the talks, he said, adding, "We are bringing the players back to the field with regular SOPs while full activities will be restored for a month." All measures are being taken in consultation with all the provinces, he said. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa always produced talented players in different sports including cricket and the government would soon take a decision to start facilitating the players who won gold medal, silver medal and bronze medals in the Under-21 Games. He said the players would be awarded Rs. 20,000 (for gold medal), Rs. 15000 (for silver medal) and Rs. 10,000 (for bronze medal) as monthly sports scholarship announced earlier on by the CM Mahmood Khan.