Niaz Stadium to host international matches next season: PCB chief

ISLAMABAD: Niaz Stadium Hyderabad will be upgraded to international standards in coming months. It was decided during a meeting held between Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi (Interior Minister) and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in Islamabad Thursday.

“Niaz Stadium will be upgraded to the international standard and all those facilities will be added to the venue which are required to organize international matches,” Naqvi said. The PCB Chairman hoped that the Stadium after upgrading will be in a position to hold international matches following 17 years of wait.

“We will try to organize international matches at the Niaz Stadium during the coming season. The PCB infrastructure team will visit Hyderabad in coming months to inspect and suggest measures required for upgradation,” Naqvi said.

Murad Ali Shah revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari is keen to see cricket infrastructure development in Sindh. “The President also wants to ensure timely upgradation of Niaz Stadium to make it at par with other leading international Stadiums in the country.”

“The upgradation of domestic cricket infrastructure is one of the priorities. Niaz Stadium and Iqbal Stadium are part of that plan,” he said. Niaz Stadium Hyderabad last hosted the Zimbabwe and Pakistan ODI match in 2008. Since then the venue has been struggling to even organize domestic first class matches.