-Shamik Chakrabarty in Cuttack
The old clock tower has stood the test of time. The Barabati Stadium is one venue in the country that has retained its old charm. At the same time, it has failed to intertwine modernity with the old.
Vast swathes of concrete galleries offer a throwback to a time when cricket viewing was sepia-stained. Only a handful of enclosures have plastic chairs and those are premium seating areas. The stadium can accommodate around 45,000 spectators, horn-tooters sitting cheek by jowl in the concrete stands. Spectators’ comfort – forget it.
The murmurs around Barabati Stadium not having chairs in the stands is out of place. It has been like this for donkey’s years now. The stadium was built in 1952, and some areas are in dilapidated condition. The Barabati needs redevelopment.
“Maybe, it will start this year,” a top Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) functionary told RevSportz. “A resolution in this regard has been passed at our Special General Meeting.”
The plan is to increase the seating capacity to 60,000 and the estimated cost of the project is Rs 600 crore.
Cuttack missed out on hosting matches in the 2023 World Cup. In fact, it was never in the reckoning, for the stadium facilities don’t conform to the ICC requirements. The 2026 T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. If the OCA wants to present its case, it needs to give the Barabati a facelift.
Also Read: Kohli likely to return for second ODI
The post Barabati Stadium awaits facelift appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports.
