Sardar Patel Stadium

The Narendra Modi Stadium ( Gujarati: નરેન્દ્ર મોદી સ્ટેડિયમ; Hindi: नरेन्द्र मोदी स्टेडियम), formerly known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium is a cricket stadium situated in Ahmedabad, India. It is the largest stadium in the world, with a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators. Owned by the Gujarat Cricket Association and is a venue for Test, ODI, T20I, and Indian Premier League cricket matches.

The stadium was constructed in 1983 and was first renovated in 2006. It became the regular venue for international matches in the city. In 2015, the stadium was closed and demolished before being completely rebuilt by February 2020, with an estimated cost of .

Apart from cricket, the stadium has hosted several programs arranged by the Government of Gujarat. It has hosted matches during the 1987, 1996, and 2011 Cricket World Cups. As of 2022, the stadium has hosted 14 Tests, 27 ODIs, 6 T20I matches and 2 IPL matches including the finals of 2022 edition for which it got the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest recorded match attendance at 101,566 spectators.

On 24 February 2021, the stadium was renamed as the Narendra Modi Stadium by the Gujarat Cricket Association after the current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, a Gujarat native, who was also the president of Gujarat Cricket Association (2009–2014) and the chief minister of the state from 2001 - 2014. It hosted its first ever pink ball test match on 24 February 2021 between India and England.

History

1982–2006 (Early years)

Formerly known as the Gujarat Stadium, the ground was renamed in tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Before the Sardar Patel Stadium, international cricket matches in the city were played at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's stadium of the same name (Sardar Patel Stadium) in the Navrangpura area. In 1982, the Government of Gujarat donated a stretch of land on the banks of the Sabarmati River to build a new stadium. The construction of the Sardar Patel Stadium was completed in nine months. Since then, all International cricket fixtures for the city are hosted here. In the 1984–85 Australia-India series, Sardar Patel Stadium hosted its first ODI, in which Australia defeated India.

Sunil Gavaskar was the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket against Pakistan in the stadium in 1987. In 1983, Kapil Dev took a nine-wicket haul against the West Indies in 1983, and claimed his 432nd Test wicket at the stadium to become the highest wicket-taker in the world in 1995, which broke Sir Richard Hadlee's previous record. In 1996, the ground hosted a low-scoring Test match against South Africa, where the visitors lost 105–170. Javagal Srinath took six wickets in the fourth inning of the match. South Africa won in a rematch game when they bowled India out for 76 runs in the first session of the Test match in 2008 and won the game by an inning and 90 runs.

2006–2015 (Rise to prominence)

The stadium became a focal venue of ICC Champions Trophy in 2006 and hosted five of the 15 games played. In order to host the tournament, the stadium was renovated to add three new pitches and a new outfield. Floodlights and covered stands were introduced at the stadium as a part of the renovation program.

The Sardar Patel Stadium has hosted games whenever India has hosted the Cricket World Cup, including the first match of the 1996 World Cup between England and New Zealand. However, while the stadium hosted only one game each in 1987 and 1996, it hosted three games in the 2011 World Cup, including the quarter-finals between Australia and India. Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 18,000 runs in One Day Internationals. As of 19 August 2017, Sardar Patel has hosted 12 Tests, 23 ODIs and 1 T20I.

2015–2020 (Reconstruction)

In October 2015, the stadium was demolished for reconstruction, though some media referred to it as a renovation. The total cost of reconstruction was estimated to be ₹700 crores (). However, the final cost was reported at . The redevelopment, originally planned to be completed in 2019, finished in February 2020.

Conception

The idea to build the new stadium was reportedly proposed by Narendra Modi, the president of the Gujarat Cricket Association and the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time. Shortly before Modi moved to Delhi after becoming the Prime Minister of India, there were discussions about minor upgrades to the stadium and development of the structure at the pavilion end. Modi asked the officials to build a new larger stadium instead of minor renovation work.

Bids

After starting demolition work at the end of 2015, the Gujarat Cricket Association issued a request for tender on 1 January 2016 in The Times of India and The Indian Express. Nine bidders showed interest and purchased the tender documents, out of which three submitted Technical and Financial bids on time; they were the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Nagarjuna Construction Company, and Larsen & Toubro. A Tender Commercial Committee (TCC) of nine experts was formed to evaluate tenders. Additionally, STUP Consulta