Not Donald Trump But An Indian To Inaugurate India's Pride Motera Stadium: Report
Published - 19 Feb 2020, 07:36 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 04:31 AM
The world’s largest cricket stadium, the Motera stadium, is reportedly not going to be inaugurated by US President Donald Trump. The US President is visiting Ahmedabad on February 24. But contrary to the recent reports, he will not inaugurate the Motera Stadium which has been garnering a lot of attention.
Rechristened the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Cricket Stadium, it will be the largest cricket stadium once it reopens. The Motera Stadium has not hosted an international game since 2014. The ODI between India and Sri Lanka on November 6, 2014 was the last international game at the Ahmedabad-based stadium.
The old structure of the stadium was pulled down in 2015. Built at a cost of Rs 700 crore, the new structure has a seating capacity of 1,10,000 spectators instead of the old seating capacity of 53,000. The new stadium will house two large seating tiers, each with approximately 50,000 general admission seat capacity.
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Recent media reports suggested that Donald Trump was going to inaugurate the stadium on February 24. However, Ahmedabad Mirror has reported otherwise.
“We have never announced that US President Donald Trump was to inaugurate the stadium. It was just speculation and assumption that he is going to inaugurate Motera. It was never an announcement, said a senior official from Delhi overseeing the Donald Trump visit.
The news outlet also talked to an BCCI official over it and the latter said that he too was thinking Trump would inaugurate the stadium before adding:
“In fact, we are waiting for our invitation and were even planning to get the Indian Cricket Team and celebrities at Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad for the spectacular inauguration.”
The news outlet further confirmed that a spectacular Trump-Modi event on lines of Howdy Modi will be held at the Stadium but there will be no inauguration.
“That Prez Trump would inaugurate this Indian stadium was just an assumption. It has not been on the schedule,” a senior bureaucrat said.
“No cricketers have been invited for the Motera event because it is not a cricket event,” he confirmed.
Sources claim Motera would have a grand inauguration but by an Indian, not a foreigner visiting the country because Motera is every Indian’s pride.
