About

Situated by the banks of the Sabarmati river, Narendra Modi Stadium is the biggest cricket stadium globally. The stadium was built in 1982 to nurture cricket talent in the province. Previously, the stadium could accommodate 49,000 cricket spectators.

In October 2015, the Gujarat Cricket Association, led by the then GCA President and current Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, resolved to rebuild the stadium and transform it into the largest Cricket Stadium globally. In February 2020, the renovation project was finalized and it can now host over 1.3 lakh cricket supporters. The newly built Narendra Modi Stadium set a record by exceeding the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which can hold 90,000 attendees.

All about Narendra Modi Stadium—Dimensions and History

The stadium was constructed in just nine months on a 50-acre site provided by the Gujarat government. The Gujarat Cricket Association possesses it. Before that, all international cricket matches occurred at the Municipal Corporation Stadium in Ahmedabad. It could accommodate 49,000 spectators. The stadium held its inaugural international Test match on November 12, 1983, featuring India against West Indies. In 2006, the field was updated in preparation for the Champions Trophy.

Photo Source: Google

The Motera Stadium has hosted several remarkable achievements in cricket history – Sunil Gavaskar was the first cricketer to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket at this location, and Kapil Dev surpassed Sir Richard Hadlee’s record by taking his 432nd Test wicket here. During the 2011 ICC World Cup, India triumphed over Australia at this venue in the quarter-finals, and two years afterward, Sachin Tendulkar was the first batsman to achieve 30,000 runs in international cricket.

Motera Stadium was a common site for Test and limited-overs matches, but in 2015, the GCA chose to rebuild the venue, aiming to create the world’s largest Cricket Stadium. It was rebuilt at an approximate cost of 8 billion. The redevelopment project was finished after five years and now can host 1.3 lakh cricket supporters, exceeding the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s capacity of 90,000 fans.

In February 2021, the stadium was renamed the ‘Narendra Modi Stadium’ to pay tribute to India’s current prime minister. That year, the stadium also held its inaugural pink-ball Test match featuring India and England.