NEW DELHI: The redeveloped Yamuna Sports complex in east Delhi is ready to hold professional cricket matches. East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday visited the facility with the officials DDA, which owns and runs the complex, to take stock of the upgrade work. According to the officials, the ground is now equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities required to organise Ranji trophy and IPL matches.
A pitch for practice has been laid and four main pitches for the matches are under preparation. An electronic scoreboard will be installed soon. The complex has 280 high mast floodlights costing seven crore rupees. On Thursday, Gambhir posted a video of the ground on Twitter to announce that east Delhi was ready for ‘pro cricket’.
“East Delhi’s cricket lovers have high hopes with this ground. Every possible effort is being made to ensure that there is no shortcomings. We can hold night matches also. The dressing rooms are beyond our imagination,” said the cricketer- turned politician. The upgrade of the sports complex, also known for archery facilities, began following Gambhir’s intervention.
He urged the DDA to develop infrastructure like floodlights, dressing rooms and stands at the cricket ground. However, archer Deepika Kumari, who completed her hattrick of gold medals at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Paris recently, said the facility should not be altered as it is one of the best archery facilities in Asia. “I became Deepika at this ground in 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Please do not make this archery ground, a cricket ground. This is one of the best Archery grounds in Asia. International Archery tournaments can happen here,” she tweeted. Later, Gambhir clarified that the complex had not been transformed but upgraded. “To set the record straight. Yamuna Sports Ground has not been converted but only upgraded. Archery & other sports will continue like before. Being a sportsman myself will never let anything hamper the growth of any sportsman!” his subsequent tweet said.