Motera Stadium renamed Narendra Modi Stadium

TIL Desk Sports/ President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday inaugurated the world’s largest cricket arena — the refurbished Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera — a state-of-the-art facility which can accommodate an awe-inspiring 1.32 lakh spectators.

The President inaugurated the stadium in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju among a host of other dignitaries. The stadium opens with the third Test between India and England, a day-night game from Wednesday, and will also host the fourth and final game of the series from March 4.

Spread over 63 acres, the stadium has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore and with a seating capacity for 1,32,000 spectators, it has surpassed the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground which can accommodate 90,000. “The total area is equivalent to 32 Olympic size soccer fields put together,” stated a note from the Press Information Bureau giving specifics of the enormous structure.