Premium

Mullanpur to host first int’l match: Second T20I between India and South Africa

The 40-acre stadium has new facilities like herringbone drainage system, a sand field, international-grade dressing rooms, steam, sauna, and ice bath facilities, and a world-class gym apart from 49 corporate boxes.

The match will be held on December 11 this Year, T20I

The match will be held on December 11 this Year. (Express Photo)

More than seven years after its construction work started and a year after it hosted IPL matches, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur will host its first international match in the form of the second T20I between India and South Africa on December 11 later this year as per the home fixture schedule announced by the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday.

While there were some reports about the new stadium being the venue of the final of the Women’s ICC ODI World Cup to be played in India later this year, it has not been confirmed by BCCI or ICC, the world governing body of cricket.

“It’s exciting news for cricket fans as well as Punjab cricket that the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur will host the second T20I between India and South Africa on December 11. The stadium was envisioned to provide fans all the modern facilities apart from a memorable cricketing experience. We are glad that PCA has been allocated the second T20I match between India and South Africa in the BCCI’s home schedule for the Indian men’s cricket team. As was the case in the IS Bindra PCA International Stadium, fans will enjoy watching international cricket at the new venue,” said Dilsher Khanna, secretary, Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), while speaking with The Indian Express.

Story continues below this ad

The 38,000-capacity stadium was first envisioned by former PCA and BCCI president I S Bindra in 2010. The 40-acre stadium has new facilities like herringbone drainage system, a sand field, international-grade dressing rooms, steam, sauna, and ice bath facilities, and a world-class gym apart from 49 corporate boxes.

The IS Bindra International Stadium in Mohali was completed in 1993 and had hosted a total of 14 Tests, 26 ODIs and seven T20Is, including the semi-final of the 1996 World Cup and 2011 World Cup and former Indian captain Virat Kohli’s 100th Test match in 2022.

The new stadium at Mullanpur has been hosting domestic matches since 2021 and hosted Punjab Kings’ four home matches last year, with its first IPL match being between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals on March 23 last year. In recent weeks, the work regarding installation of canopy over the top-tier stands in the stadium was completed.

“The stadium does see the presence of herringbone drainage system, a sand field apart from other modern facilities. While the IS Bindra International Stadium had a rich legacy of hosting international cricket, we hope to carry forward the same legacy with the new stadium.

Story continues below this ad

Recently, the canopy work and other renovation work amounting to Rs 17 crore was done at the new stadium. I am sure each fan will enjoy the experience of watching Indian and international cricketers play at the new venue,” said Khanna.

Nitin Sharma

Nitin Sharma is an Assistant Editor with the sports team of The Indian Express. Based out of Chandigarh, Nitin works with the print sports desk while also breaking news stories for the online sports team. A Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award recipient for the year 2017 for his story ‘Harmans of Moga’, Nitin has also been a two-time recipient of the UNFPA-supported Laadli Media Awards for Gender Sensitivity for the years 2022 and 2023 respectively. Nitin mainly covers Olympics sports disciplines with his main interests in shooting, boxing, wrestling, athletics and much more. The last 17 years with The Indian Express has seen him unearthing stories across India from as far as Andaman and Nicobar to the North East. Nitin also covers cricket apart from women’s cricket with a keen interest. Nitin has covered events like the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2011 ODI World Cup, 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2017 AIBA World Youth Boxing Championships. An alumnus of School of Communication Studies, Panjab University, from where he completed his Masters in Mass Communications degree, Nitin has been an avid quizzer too. A Guru Nanak Dev University Colour holder, Nitin’s interest in quizzing began in the town of Talwara Township, a small town near the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border. When not reporting, Nitin's interests lie in discovering new treks in the mountains or spending time near the river Beas at his hometown. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram