GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Residents and cricketers in Ghazni have welcomed the construction of a standard cricket ground in the southern province.
The ground is being built by two investors at a cost of around 300,000 US dollars and will have a capacity of nearly 3,000 spectators, along with other essential facilities.
The lack of a suitable and standard cricket ground is considered one of the major challenges facing cricketers in the province.
Two investors Aminullah Ghafari and Hikmatullah Afridi are seeking to address the gap by constructing a ground equipped with facilities needed for training and matches.
Aminullah Ghafari told Pajhwok Afghan News that he had invested in the project in response to the needs of cricket fans and young people in Ghazni.
He said construction work on the ground had been under way for around a month and that nearly 40 percent of the work had been completed so far.
Ground features, facilities
Ghafari said around $300,000 would be invested in the first phase of the project, with further investment to be made if needed.
He said efforts had been made to provide all necessary facilities for players and spectators.
According to him, the ground will include accommodation for players, a mosque, bathrooms and other essential facilities, and will be able to accommodate around 3,000 spectators at a time.
He said a camera system and other necessary technical facilities would also be installed to enhance security and provide coverage and recording of matches.
Mojtaba, the project engineer, said international cricket standards had been taken into consideration in the construction of the ground and that all technical work was being carried out according to professional standards.
He added that technical and professional engineers from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) periodically travel from Kabul to assess the project and provide technical advice.
He said the purpose of these assessments was to ensure that construction work was carried out in line with established cricket standards.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Asif Rasouli, a tribal elder and representative from the Rawza area of Ghazni city, said the construction of the ground was important for the area, particularly for young people, as it would provide opportunities for healthy recreation, training and improving their sporting skills.
Lack of standard ground a major challenge for cricketers
Provincial Cricket Representative Abdul Wadud Paktiyal said 35 cricket clubs were currently registered with the provincial cricket body, in addition to numerous informal teams.
He said the number of cricket fans in Ghazni was growing day by day and that the province had many talented players. However, the lack of a standard ground had prevented some players from showing their full potential in provincial, inter-provincial and national competitions.
He added that most cricketers in Ghazni trained on concrete pitches, but when they travelled to other provinces or Kabul for competitions, they faced turf wickets, creating difficulties for them.
Players’ expectations
Players have welcomed the construction of the new ground, saying the lack of a standard facility had forced them to travel to other provinces for training and competitions.
Hazrat Mohammad Haiderzai, a coach at the Ghazni National Academy, said they faced numerous difficulties because of the lack of a standard ground and had to travel to other provinces even for individual competitions.
He said the wickets used in international and provincial cricket competitions were not available in Ghazni. As a result, players had travelled to Kandahar, Zabul, Kabul and Nangarhar for training and matches.
He said once the new ground was completed, players would no longer need to travel to other provinces to access such facilities. They would also be able to invite teams from other provinces to Ghazni and play matches on a standard ground in their own province.
Ghazni cricketer Rahmanullah Rahmani said players were very pleased with the construction of the standard ground, as they had faced difficulties due to the lack of adequate facilities.
He said the new ground would allow them to train and play on a green, standard field and eliminate the need to travel to other provinces for similar facilities.
The players also called on the government to build more standard sports facilities to promote the development of sport.
hz/kk
