Ahmedabad: President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday inaugurated the world’s largest cricket stadium – Narendra Modi Stadium, at Motera in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. Spread over 63 acres, the refurbished Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera can accommodate an awe-inspiring 1.32 lakh spectators.
On the occasion, President Ram Nath 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.”
“I am confident that this enclave will give a new global identity to Ahmedabad in terms of world-class sports infrastructure,” the President added.
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.
“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 President also attended the commencement of the construction of the sports complex at the stadium on the occasion. It will be named Sardar Patel Sports Complex and will have facilities for sports like football, hockey, basketball, kabaddi, boxing.