India could soon have a stadium like Australia’s iconic MCG

Ever dreamt of India boasting of a majestic stadium like the Melbourne Cricket Ground? Well, your dream may soon be realised as Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanawla plans to build an MCG-like stadium in his north-eastern state.

Thanawla is a five-time CM and represented undivided Assam in hockey and football during his school and college days. The plan is to construct a cricket stadium near the Sairang football ground. Sairang is a half an hour drive from state capital Aizawl.

“Just close to the football ground in Sairang, there is a cricket stadium coming up, which is the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) that can host 100,024 visitors,” Thanhawla told IANS in an interview.

Mizoram, along with a few other northeast states, has been given a nod by the Supreme Court for affiliation and voting rights in the Indian cricket board. The 74-year-old CM said that the ultimate aim behind the new stadium is to produce world-class crickets from the northeast.

“I have been fighting for full voting rights of Mizoram Cricket Association (MCA). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) never did that but I am very happy that the Lodha panel has directed that all the northeastern associations are given full affiliation,” he said.

Thanhawla is also the President of the cricket board of his state. He reiterated on how his state can produce world class cricketers since boys from the region have a “big heart” and a “courageous mind” and are athletic enough to be good fielders.

“We can produce the best class cricketers in the country. Mizo boys are born with a great physique and in fielding we are very courageous. I have been to many local tournaments where I am impressed with the kind of talent we have.”

India already has the second largest cricket stadium in the world in Kolkata and one of the most beautiful stadiums at Dharamsala. And if a replica of the iconic MCG (in terms of seating capacity) is successful, India can boast of yet another cricketing feat.