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| Multan Cricket Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Name | Multan Cricket Stadium |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Location | Multan, Punjab |
| Established | 1998 |
| Seating capacity | 35000 |
| Owner | Pakistan Cricket Board |
| Operator | Pakistan Cricket Board |
| Tenants | Pakistan national cricket team; Southern Punjab cricket team |
Multan Cricket Stadium is a major international cricket venue in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. Opened in 1998, it has hosted Test matches, One Day Internationals, Twenty20 Internationals, and domestic fixtures, serving as home for regional sides and a redevelopment focus for the Pakistan Cricket Board. The ground is notable for its flat pitch, large stands, and use in Pakistan's international cricket resumption.
Multan's sporting site was developed during the late 20th century as part of Punjab regional expansion, with inauguration in 1998 under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board and provincial authorities in Punjab, Pakistan. Early international fixtures included tours by the Sri Lanka national cricket team and the South Africa national cricket team, while later years saw matches involving the India national cricket team not being staged due to diplomatic constraints, prompting neutral-venue arrangements with the United Arab Emirates national cricket team and coordination with the International Cricket Council. The venue has been associated with players such as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, and visiting cricketers from the England cricket team and Australia national cricket team.
The stadium features spectator stands, corporate boxes, player pavilions, practice nets, and floodlights meeting International Cricket Council standards. Facilities include dressing rooms used by the Pakistan national cricket team and regional sides like the Southern Punjab cricket team, medical rooms aligned with requirements from the World Anti-Doping Agency protocols, and media centers accommodating journalists from outlets covering tours by teams like the New Zealand national cricket team and the West Indies cricket team. The pitch and outfield maintenance is managed using equipment and turf-care practices informed by groundskeeping specialists who have worked with venues such as Gaddafi Stadium and National Stadium, Karachi.
The ground has hosted Tests, ODIs, and T20Is featuring the Pakistan national cricket team, visiting sides including the Bangladesh national cricket team, and Pakistan Super League fixtures involving franchises that have used Multan for home ties. Domestic tournaments such as the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and regional competitions featuring the Southern Punjab cricket team and players promoted to squads for events like the Asia Cup have been staged here. The stadium has also been a venue for tour matches involving squads from the Sri Lanka national cricket team and warm-up contests ahead of series with the England cricket team.
Notable performances recorded at the venue include centuries by Pakistan batters including Younis Khan and high-scoring innings by touring players from the Sri Lanka national cricket team and South Africa national cricket team. Bowling figures at the stadium have featured spinners and fast bowlers from the Pakistan national cricket team achieving five-wicket hauls, and memorable partnerships affecting series results against teams like the New Zealand national cricket team and West Indies cricket team. Stadium statistics are maintained by organizations such as the International Cricket Council and national statisticians tracking records for Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
The stadium underwent significant upgrades ahead of international return tours, with modernization projects supported by the Pakistan Cricket Board and provincial authorities in Punjab, Pakistan. Renovations included installation of new floodlights to meet International Cricket Council requirements, seating improvements inspired by developments at Gaddafi Stadium and National Stadium, Karachi, and upgrades to practice facilities used by franchises from the Pakistan Super League. Investment rounds attracted involvement from sports infrastructure contractors who have worked on projects for venues hosting Asia Cup fixtures.
Access to the venue is via road networks connecting to central Multan and links to the Multan International Airport. Spectators commonly arrive from surrounding districts in Punjab, Pakistan using intercity bus services, private vehicles, and taxis; parking facilities and traffic management plans are coordinated with municipal authorities within Multan. During international series, teams and officials travel through logistical arrangements involving the Pakistan Cricket Board and transport providers accustomed to servicing tours by the England cricket team and Australia national cricket team.
The stadium has hosted landmark matches in Pakistan's cricketing calendar, including fixtures marking the return of international cricket to Pakistani soil with tours by teams such as the Sri Lanka national cricket team and the Zimbabwe national cricket team. Incidents have included security-driven schedule adjustments coordinated with law enforcement in Punjab, Pakistan and contingency responses during extreme weather affecting play, similar to measures used at Gaddafi Stadium and Arbab Niaz Stadium. High-attendance matches have featured domestic finals and Pakistan Super League encounters attracting fans from across the Punjab, Pakistan region.
Category:Cricket grounds in Pakistan Category:Sport in Multan