World's largest stadium in Ahmedabad renamed as Narendra Modi Stadium

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday (February 24) inaugurated the revamped Motera Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, which has been renamed to Narendra Modi Stadium.

President Kovind said: “When I went to Australia in November 2018, I learnt that 90,000-seater Melbourne Cricket Ground was the largest in world. It is a proud moment for India today that Motera’s 1,32,000-seater stadium has become the world’s largest cricket stadium.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, were also present at the event.

Also read: Can good cricketers bat through the sticky corridors of BCCI?

The stadium will host the India-England day-night Test, the first international match, on Wednesday. The stadium will be a part of the planned Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Ahmedabad.

“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,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah said.

Amit Shah added: “As CM, he used to say Gujaratis must also progress in 2 fields-sports and armed forces. He took charge of GCA on my request and promoted sports here. His vision was that world’s largest cricket stadium be built here. This 1,32,000-seater stadium will be known as Narendra Modi Stadium.”

Also read: To root out corruption, BCCI may end private ownership of mini IPLs soon

“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.

“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,” Rijiju added.

The stadium held the knockout stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this year.

(With inputs from agencies)