Newly built Rajkot stadium ready for India-England ODI

The newly built Saurashtra cricket stadium in Rajkot is all set to host the India-England One-Day International next month and would soon be formally inaugurated, the body's honorary secretary Niranjan Shah said on Wednesday.

"The stadium is completely ready for the first day-night One-Day match to be played between India and England on January 11 next year," Shah told reporters.

Constructed at a cost of around Rs 75 crore, the stadium is spread over 5.50 lakh sq ft area on Rajkot-Jamnagar highway near Khandheri.

"It would be one of the best stadiums and we have taken care that the audience can watch the match uninterrupted and therefore fencing has not been set up," Shah said adding that SCA has not compromised with the security arrangements and has installed 40 CCTVs to monitor each and every nook of the venue.

The land for the stadium was purchased in 2004 and the foundation stone was laid by the state chief minister Narendra Modi in 2006.

"I want Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate it. Once we get confirmation from the chief minister to inaugurate the stadium, we will invite BCCI's other officials including board president and secretary," he said.

The city has hosted 12 ODIs between 1986 to 2009 but all the matches were played at Madhavrao Scindia Cricket ground, which is owned by Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC).

"Generally the day-night match begins at 2.30pm but keeping the due factor in mind the BCCI has decided that in  Rajkot the match would begin at 12 noon," Shah said.

The stadium's capacity is around 26,000.