A new nameplate reading Imran Khan Cricket Stadium has been installed at Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Stadium, signalling the change of the name of the stadium.
Labourers were seen erecting the nameplate on the stadium. The stadium is undergoing extensive renovation. The facility, originally named after former federal sports minister Arbab Niaz Muhammad, was constructed in 1984 and is the only international cricket ground in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, the change of the stadium happened despite opposition from former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governor also publicly disagreed with the renaming decision, calling it inappropriate.
Currently, the Arbab Niaz Stadium is the only stadium in the entire province. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had signed the summary by the sports department, proposing the renaming of the Arbab Niaz Stadium. The matter will now be placed before the provincial cabinet for its approval.
Sports minister Syed Fakhar Jahan had told local media that the renaming of the stadium was beyond politics, as Imran Khan was the biggest name in the country’s sporting history. He said that the government should have named Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium after Imran Khan, however, they only named an enclosure after him.
Read more: Imran Khan disapproves of renaming of Arbab Niaz stadium after him
The statement added that the stadium was constructed by the Municipal Corporation of Peshawar through the Peshawar Development Authority. “Initially, the stadium had a seating capacity of 5,000 spectators and a small pavilion for local cricket matches,” it said.
According to the summary, the stadium has hosted test matches, one-day internationals, first-class cricket, and inter-club competitions. Since its up-gradation, it has hosted teams from all major cricketing nations including Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, India, and Zimbabwe.
“To honor Mr Imran Khan’s remarkable contributions to Pakistan’s cricketing legacy and his pivotal role in shaping the nation’s sports landscape, it is proposed that the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium be renamed as Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Shahi Bagh, Peshawar,” it said.