The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) today reclaimed charge of the state's only international cricket ground, Green Park, after getting it back on lease from the government.
Though the state government had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 2 to lease the ground to UPCA on an annual sum of Rupees 1 crore for 30 years, the stadium's sport's official finally handed over the caretaking duties of the ground to the stadium's Director today.
The UPCA officials are elated with the move as they felt that BCCI, who always hesited to grant Green park international games, will now allot Test, ODI and T20 matches to the ground on a regular basis.
One of the UPCA Director, Prem Dhar Pathak informed about the passing of duties by a sport's official after assurance of completing the pending construction work in the stadium and the ouster of workers from the premises, who are illegally lodged inside.
Green Park's first challenege of hosting an international game will be the ODI match between India and South Africa in October this year.
The stadium last hosted an ODI between India and West Indies in 2013, while an ODI between the two sides could not happen after the Caribbean team aborted its tour midway last year.
UPCA's media manager AA Khan Talib informed that the state government had leased the ground to the association in early April after a cabinet meet and the the MoU was signed on June 3 but they got the possession only today.
According to the deal, the UPCA will be responsible for the caretaking duties of the ground, while the construction work will be done by the state governemnt.
