Gaddafi Stadium

Gaddafi Stadium
قذافی اسٹیڈیم
Ground information
Location Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Coordinates 31°30′48″N 74°20′0″E / 31.51333°N 74.33333°E / 31.51333; 74.33333Coordinates: 31°30′48″N 74°20′0″E / 31.51333°N 74.33333°E / 31.51333; 74.33333
Establishment 1959
Capacity 27,000[1]
Owner Pakistan Cricket Board
Operator Lahore Regional Cricket Association
Tenants Lahore Qalandars, Lahore cricket teams, Lahore Lions, Lahore Eagles Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan
End names
Pavilion End
College End
International information
First Test 21 – 26 Nov 1959:
 Pakistan v  Australia
Last Test 1 – 2 Mar 2009:
 Pakistan v  Sri Lanka
First ODI 13 Jan 1978:
 Pakistan v  England
Last ODI 31 May 2015:
 Pakistan v  Zimbabwe
First T20I 22 May 2015:
 Pakistan v  Zimbabwe
Last T20I 24 May 2015:
 Pakistan v  Zimbabwe
As of 31 May 2015
Source: CricInfo

Gaddafi Stadium (Urdu: قذافی اسٹیڈیم / ALA-LC: Qaẕẕāfī Isṭeḍiyam) is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by famous architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan, and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. The ground was renovated for the 1996 Cricket World Cup when it hosted the final. It is also the largest cricket stadium in Pakistan and was the fifth largest in the world with a capacity of 60,000 spectators, until renovation brought down the capacity to 27,000.[2][3]

Ground history

Gaddafi Stadium at night

Originally Lahore Stadium, was renamed in 1974 in honour of the former Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi following a speech he gave at the 2nd Organisation of the Islamic Conference meeting in Lahore in favour of Pakistan's right to pursue nuclear weapons.[4] The stadium houses the headquarters of the Pakistan Cricket Board.[5]

In 1995–96, the Gaddafi Stadium was renovated by architect Nayyar Ali Dada for the 1996 Cricket World Cup.[5] Dada's redesign was done in the Mughal style, with red, hand-laid brickwork and arches. Dada also had plastic seating installed in place of the existing concrete benches. The lower portion under the stands was enclosed and converted to shops for boutiques and offices. Gaddafi Stadium was the first in Pakistan to be equipped with modern floodlights having their own standby power generators.[6]

On 23 October 2011 the Pakistan Cricket Board discussed renaming the stadium following the death of Gaddafi, to support the new government in Libya. The Punjab Olympic Association made a similar request in late October 2011 to the provincial chief minister, "I don't think his profile is inspirational enough to link with our cricket stadium's identity." As of April 2012, however, it does not appear that the stadium's name will be changed after all.[7]

Gaddafi Stadium
A Panoramic view of Gaddafi Stadium at Night

Cricket history

Three hat-tricks have been taken at the stadium, by Peter Petherick of New Zealand against Pakistan, 9 October 1976, Wasim Akram of Pakistan against Sri Lanka, 6 March 1999 and Mohammad Sami of Pakistan against Sri Lanka.[8]

Pakistan has enjoyed some memorable moments on the ground, including a fifth-wicket stand of 281 between Javed Miandad and Asif Iqbal against New Zealand in 1976 and an innings and 324 run win against New Zealand in 2002.[9]

On 3 March 2009, the scheduled third day of second Test of 2008–09 Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan, the Sri Lankan team's convoy was attacked by armed militants at Liberty Roundabout, near Gaddafi stadium. Eight Sri Lankan players were injured, including Sri Lankan captain, Mahela Jayawardene. The Sri Lankan team was air-lifted from Gaddafi Stadium to a nearby airbase, from where they were evacuated back to Sri Lanka, this event marked the end of international cricket in Pakistan.[5]

However, on 19 May 2015, the Zimbabwe cricket team landed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport to become the first Full Member nation to tour Pakistan since March 2009.[10] On 5 March 2017 the final of the 2017 Pakistan Super League was played in the stadium.[5]


Records

Test

One Day International

T20 International

Cricket World Cup

This stadium hosted six One Day International (ODI) matches during 1987 Cricket World Cup and 1996 Cricket World Cup.

1987 Cricket World Cup

16 October 1987
Scorecard
West Indies 
216 (50 overs)
v
 Pakistan
217/9 (50 overs)
4 November 1987
Scorecard
Australia 
267/6 (50 overs)
v
 Pakistan
249 (49.2 overs)

1996 Cricket World Cup

26 February
Scorecard
Netherlands 
145/7 (50 overs)
v
 Pakistan
151/2 (30.4 overs)
Flavian Aponso 58
Waqar Younis 4/26 (10 Overs)
Saeed Anwar 83*
Peter Cantrell 1/18 (4 overs)
Pakistan won by 8 wickets
Umpires: K.T. Francis and Steve Bucknor
Player of the match: Waqar Younis (Pak)
1 March
Scorecard
Netherlands 
216/9 (50 overs)
v
 United Arab Emirates
220/3 (44.2 overs)
Peter Cantrell 47 (106)
Shaukat Dukanwala 5/29 (10 overs)
Saleem Raza 84 (68)
Roland Lefebvre 1/24 (8 overs)
United Arab Emirates won by 7 wickets
Umpires: Mahboob Shah and Steve Randell
Player of the match: Shaukat Dukanwala (UAE)
  • This was the first ever official ODI between two ICC Associate teams.
6 March
Scorecard
Pakistan 
281/5 (50 overs)
v
 New Zealand
235 (47.3 overs)
Saeed Anwar 62 (67)
Robert Kennedy 1/32 (5 overs)
Stephen Fleming 42 (43)
Mushtaq Ahmed 2/32 (10 overs)
Pakistan won by 46 runs
Umpires: K.T. Francis and Ian Robinson
Player of the match: Saleem Malik (Pak)
17 March
Scorecard
Australia 
241/7 (50 overs)
v
 Sri Lanka
245/3 (46.2 overs)
Mark Taylor 74 (83)
Aravinda de Silva 3/42 (9 overs)
Aravinda de Silva 107 (124)
Damien Fleming 1/43 (6 overs)
Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
Umpires: Steve Bucknor and David Shepherd
Player of the match: Aravinda de Silva (SL)

See also

References

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