Sardar Patel Stadium

Sardar Patel Stadium

Motera Stadium
Former names	Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium
Location	Motera, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Owner	Gujarat Cricket Association
Capacity	110,000 (post-expansion, 2019 onwards)[1] 49,000(1982–2015)[2]
Surface	Grass (Oval)
Construction
Built	1982
Demolished	2015
Construction cost	₹700 cr. (reconstruction, 2017 onwards)
Architect	Populous (reconstruction) Shashi Prabhu[3] (old site)
General contractor	Larsen & Toubro
Tenants
Indian Cricket Team (1983–present) Gujarat cricket team (1983–present) Rajasthan Royals (2010 & 2014)
Ground information
Operator	Gujarat Cricket Association
End names
Adani Pavilion End GMDC End
International information
First Test	12–16 November 1983:  India v  West Indies
Last Test	15–19 November 2012:  India v  England
First ODI	5 October 1984:  India v  Australia
Last ODI	6 November 2014:  India v  Sri Lanka
Team information
Gujarat cricket team (1983–present)
As of 9 August 2018 Source: ESPNcricinfo

Gate to the stadium

Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium (Motera Stadium) is one of the premier cricket stadiums of India in the Motera locality of Ahmedabad. Because of its location, the stadium is commonly called 'Motera Stadium' to avoid confusion with another stadium of the same name in Navrangpura, Ahmedabad. Sardar Patel stadium is owned by Gujarat Cricket Association and comes under the aegis of the West Zone. It is equipped with floodlights for day-and-night games and is a regular venue for Test cricket and One Day Internationals (ODI) matches. It is currently undergoing redevelopment after being demolished completely in late 2015.^[4] The new stadium will be the largest cricket stadium in the world with a seating capacity of 110,000 spectators, overtaking the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.^[5][6][7]

Apart from cricket, the ground has played host to a number of programs arranged by the Government of Gujarat. The pitch once favoured the bowlers but has lately been host to competitive games. As of December 2011, the Motera stadium had played host to 23 ODI matches. In India, only Eden Gardens (26 ODI matches) has hosted more ODI matches than Motera Stadium.^[8] The stadium was one of the host venues for 2011 Cricket World Cup held in India. It hosted three matches, including a quarter final match between India and Australia.

History

Formerly known as the Gujarat Stadium, the ground was renamed in tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,^[9] India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Before the Motera Stadium came into existence, international cricket matches in the city were played at Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's stadium of the same name (Sardar Patel Stadium) in the Navrangpura area. In 1982, the government of Gujarat donated a 50-acre (200,000 m²) stretch of land on the banks of the Sabarmati River for the construction of new stadium. The construction of the Sardar Patel Stadium was carried out in a span of nine months. Since then all International cricket fixtures for the city are hosted here. Later in the 1984–85 Australia-India series, Sardar Patel Stadium hosted its first ODI, one in which Australia beat the Indians.

Sunil Gavaskar became the first-ever cricketer to score 50 runs in Test cricket on this ground — a feat he achieved against Pakistan in 1987.^[10] Seven years later Kapil Dev claimed his 432nd Test wicket on this ground to become the highest wicket taker in the world, breaking Sir Richard Hadlee's record for the most number of wickets in Test matches here. Before he became the highest wicket taker, Kapil Dev made a nine-wicket haul in his career here at the Motera ground. In 1996, the ground hosted a low-scoring Test match against South Africa, where the visitors faltered while chasing a paltry 170 for a win to end up at 105 all out. Javagal Srinath scalped six wickets in the fourth innings of the match. However, South Africa had their revenge when they bowled India out for 76 runs in the first session of the Test match in 2008 and then went on to win it by an innings and 90 runs. Sachin Tendulkar became the first-ever cricketer to score 18,000 runs in One day cricket in a match against Australia during 2011 Cricket World Cup.

The stadium was one of the venues for the 2006 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, with five of the 15 games being played here. It has hosted one game in each of the two Cricket World Cups that were played in the country, including the first match of the 1996 World Cup between England and New Zealand. As of 19 August, 2017 it has hosted 12 Tests, 23 ODIs and 1 T20I.

Reconstruction and Development

Sardar Patel (Gujarat) Stadium, a cricket stadium with 54,000 capacity, in Motera, Ahmedabad

In October 2015, the stadium was demolished to allow for a big scale renovation. The revamped stadium has been planned to be like the Melbourne Cricket Ground.^[11]

In December 2016, the construction work of the stadium was handed over to the construction company L&T ^[12] Also, it was confirmed that the new stadium will indeed be the largest cricket stadium in the world, with a capacity of 110,000 spectators (overtaking the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with 100,024 official capacity). It will be spread across 63 acres of land, with three entry points as opposed to just one in the old stadium. Additionally, it will contain 76 corporate boxes, an Olympic sized swimming pool, and 4 dressing rooms. On 16 January foundation stone laying was held by Gujarat Cricket Association and work started on the ground. The stadium will be ready in 2 years, and the reconstruction project is estimated to cost around ₹ 7 billion^[13]

With increased area of 63 acres, the stadium will be able to accommodate several other required features, like enhanced parking for 3,000 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers, and a clubhouse with 55 rooms. The initial designs also show 3 practice grounds located adjacent to the main site. It has been hinted that the name of the stadium may change upon its completion.^[14]

Records

Sardar Patel Stadium(before reconstruction)

High points in cricket history

Motera has witnessed some great feats of Indian cricket history:

Sachin scored 18000 ODi runs, first and only cricketer to achieve this feat

• Sunil Gavaskar completed 10,000 runs in Test cricket in 1986–87 against Pakistan.^[15]
• Kapil Dev, who had taken 9 wickets in an innings in the first match on this ground, scalped his 432nd wicket in Test cricket to pass Sir Richard Hadlee's record, thus becoming the highest wicket taker in Test cricket at that time.^[15]
• In October 1999, Sachin Tendulkar scored his first Test Match double-hundred in a match against New Zealand.
• Sachin Tendulkar completed his 20 years of International Cricket here on 16 November 2009 against Sri Lanka. During the same game, Sachin Tendulkar reached a landmark of 30,000 runs in International cricket which by far no cricketer has achieved.
• Sachin Tendulkar became the first-ever cricketer to score 18,000 runs in One day cricket in a match against Australia during 2011 Cricket World Cup.
• AB de Villiers reached his first double-hundred against India during the second test of South Africa's tour to India in 2008.

Panoramic view of Motera Stadium seen from Club Pavilion – India playing a test match against New Zealand in November 2010

Cricket World Cup

The stadium has hosted One Day International (ODI) matches for all the Cricket World Cups whenever India has hosted the World cups namely

1987 Cricket World Cup

26 October 1987 Scorecard

Zimbabwe 191/10 (50 overs)

v

India 194/3 (42 overs)

India won by 7 wickets Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

1996 Cricket World Cup

14 February 1997 Scorecard

New Zealand  239/6 (50 overs)

v

England 228/9 (50 overs)

New Zealand won by 11 runs Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

2011 Cricket World Cup

21 February 2011 (D/N) Scorecard

Australia  262/6 (50 overs)

v

Zimbabwe 171 (46.2 overs)

Australia won by 91 runs Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

4 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard

Zimbabwe  162 (46.2 overs)

v

New Zealand 166/0 (33.3 overs)

New Zealand won by 10 wickets Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

24 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard

Australia  260/6 (50 overs)

v

India 261/5 (47.4 overs)

India won by 5 wickets Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Gallery

• 
  The GMDC Pavilion(before reconstruction)
• 
  The Adani Pavilion from the 30 yard circle(before reconstruction)
• 
  The Adani Pavilion from the GMDC end(before reconstruction)
• 
  Iron Bull at the Stadium entrance

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad.

• List of international cricket centuries at the Sardar Patel Stadium
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli Cricket Association
• Baroda Cricket Association
• Saurashtra Cricket Association
• Gujarat Lions

References

External links

• Ground profile at Cricinfo

Coordinates: 23°5′30″N 72°35′51″E / 23.09167°N 72.59750°E / 23.09167; 72.59750