The India Pakistan T20 match had to be moved from Dharamsala at the last minute owing to security reasons. (Source: File) The India Pakistan T20 match had to be moved from Dharamsala at the last minute owing to security reasons. (Source: File)

The BCCI plans to buy land and build a cricket stadium, which will be owned and administered by them, and does not belong to any state association. It will most likely be in Delhi, come up in five years, and the cricket board hopes to host their marquee games such as the finals of IPL and World Cups.

This will be the first BCCI-owned-and-run stadium. The initiative comes on the back of bitter experiences in the past when they were forced to shift cricket matches to alternate venues at the last moment.

The idea was proposed by BCCI president Anurag Thakur during the working committee meeting held in Dharmashala where members agreed that time has come for BCCI to have its own stadium with all modern and world class facilities.

Indian board president Thakur confirmed the development to The Indian Express and stated that the new stadium would have world-class facilities and all marquee games can be played there.

“Yes we discussed this in the working committee with the members. Members agreed that time has come when BCCI should have its own state-of-the- art stadium where some of the marquee matches could be played, be it IPL finals or World Cup finals,” Thakur stated.

In past few months BCCI has seen crucial games shifting from one venue to another. The match between India and Pakistan, the high-profile game of T20 World Cup, had to be shifted from Dharmshala to Kolkata due to security reasons. All IPL games from Maharashtra had to be moved out of the state after Bombay High Court’s order.

Last-minute changes have always been problem for BCCI and also for the broadcasters. The board wants an alternate stadium where it has complete hold and control, and obviate the need to rely on the state associations. Though the talks are in the initial stages, BCCI has zeroed in on Delhi as the venue for BCCI’s new stadium. The new stadium might be coming up at the outskirts of the city, and board will now start the search for land.

Thakur said it would be an all-out weather stadium and have a cricket museum.

“We will try to make it all weather stadium where we will have outstanding indoor and outdoor practice facilities. It will have a museum. Our vision would be to make it one of the best stadiums in the world.”

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