Gorakhpur to become UP’s fourth city with international-level stadium.

Lucknow : In a move to further enrich the legacy of cricket legend Narendra Hirwani, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced the construction of a world-class cricket stadium in rural Gorakhpur. 

This significant development, unveiled during his visit to the city on July 6, aims to bolster the region’s cricket infrastructure and honour Hirwani, one of India’s renowned leg spinners who was named Cricketer of the Year in 1988. Gorakhpur, synonymous with Hirwani’s illustrious career, is set to become a hub for aspiring cricketers with this new facility.

According to the information received, road and air connectivity will be considered to acquire land for the stadium to be built on approximately 100 acres. The stadium will be Uttar Pradesh’s fourth international-level stadium after Kanpur, Lucknow, and Varanasi. 

This stadium will benefit not only Gorakhpur but also the sports talents of Purvanchal, neighbouring Bihar, and the friendly nation Nepal. Through better training, cricket players will bring fame to Purvanchal at national and international levels.

The stadium will lead to a boom in sports business. Besides, the national and international level matches will boost sports tourism and hospitality sector. 

It is worth mentioning here that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has undertaken several initiatives to promote sports in Uttar Pradesh. He has been rewarding athletes and sportspersons, who bring fame to the state and the country at national and international levels, handsomely through out his tenure. 

He recently met with Uttar Pradesh cricketer Kuldeep Yadav, a member of the T-20 World Cup-winning team, at his residence. 

Furthermore, he encourages sportspersons ahead of their participation in international competitions. In August 2021, under his guidance, a “Khel  Maha Kumbh” was organized in Lucknow to honour athletes. During this event, the Chief Minister announced the establishment of a sports academy in Lucknow, the adoption of two sports, including wrestling, and their financial support for the next ten years.

Notably, to enhance the skills of the state’s sports talents, a sports university is being built in Meerut, named after Major Dhyan Chand, the ‘Wizard’ of hockey. The development of sports grounds, open gyms in villages, and Ganga grounds in riverside villages aims to promote sports at the grassroots level. 

The state government is also preparing to introduce a new sports policy for the next five years. The announcement of the construction of an international-level cricket stadium is a part of this initiative. The initiatives are poised to have a significant impact on the state’s sports sector.