Pindi Stadium capacity shrinks

ISLAMABAD: Pindi Cricket Stadium capacity has further shrunk following Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to introduce temporary chairs for the General Stand that otherwise was giving barren concrete look.

The official capacity of the Pindi Stadium is around 18,000, which has been further reduced to 15,000 following decision to install temporary chairs.

“That is obvious. We were criticised for leaving concrete seating for General Stand. Now we have introduced temporary chairs for General Stand that will decrease the capacity. It possibly would go down from 18 to 15 thousand because of the fact that in open space more fan can adjust and when we arrange chairs it becomes one fan one chair scenario,” a PCB spokesman when contacted said.

Since stadium was inaugurated way back in 1991, no real efforts have been made to increase its capacity that stays more or less the same almost three decades after the first match was played here between England and Pakistan under-19 teams in 1991. The interest for the game and fan following have almost increased hundred percent since then. For a population of almost 15 million in and around these two cities such a low capacity stadium is never enough for such events.

“We have raised Media Building in recent times and that we did on our own. Even though we are not having the full control of administration of the venue, we still have invested a lot on the stadium in near past. The PCB only has the playing facilities control. So it is the Rawalpindi administration that is required to invest in stadium capacity or give all the powers officially to PCB so that the real up-gradation work can be launched,” the official said.

He admitted that capacity of around 15 thousand is too little to cater the requirements of Rawalpindi and Islamabad cricket fans. “We have been facing a big challenge from all directions and are in no position to make everyone happy and provide them with the required tickets. Pindi is very important centre for cricket and definitely huge cricket interest is also there.”

The absence of international cricket from Pakistan for almost 11 years has definitely come hard on the cricket infrastructure development. The condition of stadiums all these years has gone from bad to worst.

The PCB has invested heavily in Karachi’s National Stadium, there is a dire need for work on other venues also to make them more spacious and crowd friendly.