Ekana Cricket Stadium Explained

Ekana Cricket Stadium
Nickname:Bharat Ratn Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (BRSABV) Ekana Cricket Stadium
Former Names:Ekana International Cricket Stadium
Address:Ekana Sportz City, Gomti Nagar Extension
City:Lucknow
Country:India
Coordinates:26.8111°N 81.0169°W
Elevation:104m
Owner:Ekana Sportz City
Operator:Ekana Sportz City
Seating Type:Stadium
Capacity:50,100[1]
Dimensions:160x156m
Field Shape:Round
Surface:Grass
Architect:Skyline Architectural Consultants[2]
Nrhp:
Embed:yes
International:yes
Onlytestdate:27–29 November
Onlytestyear:2019
Onlytesthome:Afghanistan
Onlytesthomevar:2013
Onlytestaway:West Indies
Firstodidate:6 November
Firstodiyear:2019
Firstodihome:Afghanistan
Firstodihomevar:2013
Firstodiaway:West Indies
Lastodidate:3 November
Lastodiyear:2023
Lastodihome:Afghanistan
Lastodiaway:Netherlands
Firstt20idate:6 November
Firstt20iyear:2018
Firstt20ihome:India
Firstt20iaway:West Indies
Lastt20idate:29 January
Lastt20iyear:2023
Lastt20ihome:India
Lastt20iaway:New Zealand
Firstwodidate:7 March
Firstwodiyear:2021
Firstwodihome:India
Firstwodiaway:South Africa
Lastwodidate:17 March
Lastwodiyear:2021
Lastwodihome:India
Lastwodiaway:South Africa
Firstwt20idate:20 March
Firstwt20iyear:2021
Firstwt20ihome:India
Firstwt20iaway:South Africa
Lastwt20idate:23 March
Lastwt20iyear:2021
Lastwt20ihome:India
Lastwt20iaway:South Africa
Club1:Uttar Pradesh cricket team
Year1:2017-present
Club2:Lucknow Super Giants
Year2:2021-present
Club3:UP Warriorz
Year3:2023-present
Date:31 October
Year:2023
Source:ESPNcricinfo

Ekana Cricket Stadium also known as Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (BRSABV) Ekana Cricket Stadium or Ekana Sports City[3] [4] is an international cricket stadium in Lucknow, India. The arena has a seating capacity of 50,000, and is the fifth largest international cricket stadium of India.[5] In 2018, the stadium was renamed after India's 10th Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It was formerly named Ekana International Cricket Stadium, and locals call it as Ekana Cricket Stadium. As of 18 Jan 2024, it has hosted 1 Test, 9 ODIs and 6 T20Is. [6]

The stadium has the longest straight boundaries in comparison to all the stadiums in India. It is the home ground of Uttar Pradesh cricket team, UP women's cricket team and IPL franchise the Lucknow Super Giants.

In 2019, the Afghanistan cricket team used it as their home ground.[7] K.D. Singh Babu stadium used to host international cricket matches in Lucknow before the venue was built.

The arena hosted the five matches of the 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup.[8]

History

The project for constructing the world class stadium in Lucknow was commissioned in 2014, and the stadium was built under public-private partnership between Ekana Sportz City and Lucknow Development Authority. Ekana Sportz City is a Joint venture between Nagarjuna Construction Company, GC Construction & Development Industries Pvt Ltd.

As per the agreement of the partnership, the government provided Ekana Sportz City with 35-year lease of 71 acres to build the cricket stadium, with the lease running through 2052. In addition, the government also provided 66 additional acres of land for real estate projects on a 99-year lease. The cricket stadium has been built with a budget of 360 crores (3.6 billion rupees).[9]

Before its international debut, it also hosted the final of the 2017–18 Duleep Trophy.[10] The stadium was allocated the 3rd ODI between India and New Zealand to be held on 27 Oct 2017. However, the venue was shifted to Kanpur after the stadium was declared incomplete.[11]

On 6 November 2018, the stadium hosted its first international match, a Twenty20 International (T20I) between India and the West Indies,[12] becoming the 52nd stadium in India to host an international cricket match.[13] International cricket match returned to Lucknow after 24 years, after the India and Sri Lanka test match of 1994.[14] In that match Rohit Sharma became the first cricketer to score four centuries in T20Is.[15] India won that match by 71 runs.[16] The last time Lucknow hosted an international match was in January 1994, when India played a test match against Sri Lanka at the K.D. Singh Babu Stadium.[17]

In May 2019, Afghanistan Cricket Board requested the BCCI to use this venue for their international matches.[18] In August 2019, BCCI awarded the venue to Afghanistan national cricket team as their third home venue in India, being previously played in Dehradun and Greater Noida.[19]

It hosted all the matches during Afghanistan vs West Indies series in 2019.[20] On 6 November 2019, the venue hosted its first ODI match.[21] On 27 November 2019, the venue hosted its first Test match.[22]

In May 2022, the venue was scheduled to host all the matches of the fourth edition of Women's T20 Challenge. However, later the matches were shifted to Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.[23]

Events

The venue has hosted two major events organized by the UP government.

Award distribution ceremony

On 19 August 2021, an award giving ceremony was held at the stadium by the state government to honor the athletes who won the medals at 2020 Summer Olympics that was held in 2021 at Tokyo, Japan. They all were facilitated with monetary rewards given by the Uttar Pradesh government. The highest prize was given to Neeraj Chopra who was the only one from India to won gold medal in Javelin throw.[24]

Swearing-in ceremony

On 25 March 2022, at the venue Yogi Adityanath took oath as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh along with his cabinet, after his impressive victory in 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections. The oath was given by the Governor of state, Anandiben Patel.

Many VVIP's, celebrities, big businessmen were invited in the ceremony including the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home minister Amit Shah and the Chief Ministers of NDA led states.[25]

Cricket World Cup

2023 Men's World Cup

----------------

Records

List of international centuries

Test matches

Only one Test century has been scored at the venue.[26]

One Day Internationals

Three ODI centuries have been scored at the venue, two in a men's match and one in a women's match.[28] [29]

Men's ODI centuries on the ground
No. Score Player Team Balls Versus Date Result
1 109* 145 11 November 2019 West Indies won[30]
2 109 106 12 October 2023 South Africa won [31]

Twenty20 Internationals

Only one T20I century has been scored at the venue.[33]

List of international five-wicket hauls

Test matches

No.BowlerDateTeamVersus InnOversRunsWktsResult
1 1 25.3 75 7 West Indies won
2 2 28.3 74 5 West Indies won

T20Is

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 - Media Guide . ICC . 19 November 2023.
  2. Web site: Ekana International Cricket Stadium.
  3. Web site: 5 November 2018 . Ekana stadium named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee . limited . 5 November 2018 . United News of India.
  4. Web site: 5 November 2018 . Lucknow stadium renamed in honour of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ahead of India-West Indies T20I . 5 November 2018 . India Today.
  5. News: With on going inspections, Lucknow's cricket stadium a hot favourite to host IPL 2018 matches! . Knock Sense . 5 September 2018 . 5 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180905065316/https://knocksense.com/2018/01/29/going-inspections-lucknows-cricket-stadium-hot-favourite-host-ipl-2018-matches/ . dead .
  6. Web site: Yogi Adityanath Inaugurates Lucknow Cricket Stadium, Changes Its Name . 2023-09-21 . NDTV.com.
  7. News: 7 July 2019 . Afghanistan cricket team gets Lucknow Ekana stadium as their new home ground: BCCI . United News of India . 13 July 2019.
  8. Web site: Venues at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023: a guide . 2023-09-21 . www.icc-cricket.com . en.
  9. News: Ali . Qaiser Mohammad . 6 Dec 2016 . With Ranji Game, Lucknow Set To Become New Sports Hub . . 23 Jan 2023.
  10. News: 30 August 2017 . Raina, Parthiv, Abhinav to captain Duleep Trophy teams . ESPNcricinfo . 30 August 2017.
  11. Web site: Lucknow stadium ‘not up to mark’, Kanpur gets 3rd India-New Zealand ODI . 2023-01-23 . Scroll.in . en-US.
  12. Web site: India, West Indies top orders in focus in Lucknow's international return. ESPNcricinfo. 6 November 2018.
  13. News: Ekana stadium adds a new chapter to Lucknow. The Hindu. 5 November 2018. 5 November 2018. Sarangi. Y. b..
  14. Web site: India to host West Indies for T20 in Lucknow as international cricket returns to city after 24 years . 2023-01-23 . Scroll.in . en-US.
  15. Web site: Rohit Sharma Sets Record, Becomes First Batsman To Score Four T20I Centuries. NDTV Sports. 6 November 2018.
  16. Web site: 2nd T20I (N), West Indies tour of India at Lucknow, Nov 6 2018. ESPNcricinfo. 6 November 2018.
  17. Web site: India vs West Indies 2nd T20: Reopening a Nawabi chapter in Lucknow. The Indian Express. 6 November 2018. 6 November 2018.
  18. Web site: Afghan seeks bigger home base in India. The Tribune. 1 August 2019.
  19. Web site: Lucknow to be new venue for Afghanistan. Cricbuzz. 1 August 2019.
  20. Web site: Hayden Walsh jnr has big dreams wearing the maroon . Cricket West Indies . 19 October 2019.
  21. Web site: CPL's best brace for Afghanistan spin barrage . ESPNcricinfo . 6 November 2019.
  22. Web site: face WI challenge in Ekana's maiden Test . Cricbuzz . 27 November 2019.
  23. News: Lucknow to host Women's T20 Challenge from May 24–28, confirms BCCI president Sourav Ganguly . 24 April 2022 . Hindustan Times . 23 April 2022 . en.
  24. Web site: August 19, 2021 . Fazal . Khan . Lucknow: Ekana Stadium decks up to welcome Tokyo Olympic achievers . 2022-09-22 . The Times of India . en.
  25. Web site: 2022-03-25 . World's sixth-largest stadium for Yogi Adityanath's historic swearing-in: A sneak peek into Ekana Stadium . 2022-09-22 . Firstpost . en.
  26. Web site: Test Match Batting Records. 13 November 2019. ESPNcricinfo.
  27. Web site: Only Test, West Indies tour of India against Afghanistan at Lucknow, Nov 11 2019. ESPNcricinfo. 28 November 2019.
  28. Web site: ODI Batting Records. 13 November 2019. ESPNcricinfo.
  29. Web site: WODI Batting Records. 12 March 2021. ESPNcricinfo.
  30. Web site: 3rd ODI (D/N), West Indies tour of India against Afghanistan at Lucknow, Nov 11 2019. ESPNcricinfo. 12 November 2019.
  31. Web site: World Cup 2023 (D/N), Oct 12 2023. ESPNcricinfo. 12 October 2023.
  32. Web site: 3rd WODI, South Africa Women tour of India at Lucknow, Mar 12 2021. ESPNcricinfo. 12 March 2021.
  33. Web site: T20I Batting Records. 29 August 2019. ESPNcricinfo.
  34. Web site: 2nd T20I, West Indies tour of India at Lucknow, Nov 6 2018. ESPNcricinfo. 24 August 2019.
  35. Web site: 2nd T20I West Indies tour of India against Afghanistan 2019–20 . ESPNcricinfo . 29 November 2019.

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