The Sports Hub, Trivandrum, commonly known as Trivandrum International Stadium or Greenfield Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Kerala, used mainly for association football and cricket. The stadium is located at Kariavattom in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala, India. It is India's first DBOT (design, build, operate and transfer) model outdoor stadium. The Greenfield Stadium became India's 50th international cricket venue on 7 November 2017 when it hosted a T20I against New Zealand. The stadium is 10km from Trivandrum International Airport,15km from Trivandrum Central Railway Station and Central Bus Station Thiruvananthapuram.
Video Greenfield International Stadium
Facilities
The ground is designed such that it can be used for international cricket and football. The playing arena in the stadium has been constructed in line with FIFA regulations and International Cricket Council norms. It has a seating capacity for 50,000 spectators.
The stadium has been demarcated into four zones, where north zone is dedicated for Cricket, east zone for Football and each zone has players' lounge, gymnasium, media centre and stock room. Shopping malls and food court are placed in the south zone. The adjoining pavilion accommodates latest facilities for Squash, Volleyball, Basketball, Table Tennis and an Olympic size swimming pool.
The first fully eco-friendly stadium in India, it is surrounded by green plants and also has a rain water harvesting facility. The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and Pollution Control Board have commended the builders for the green initiatives taken.
Maps Greenfield International Stadium
Construction details
It was the first stadium in India built on the DBOT (Design-Build- Operate and Transfer) basis. It is also the first stadium in the country to be developed on annuity mode. The Greenfield stadium will be operated for 15 years by the company that built it. After 15 years, the stadium will be handed over to the University of Kerala, which has leased 36 acres for it. The university will receive Rs 94 Lakhs per year as lease.
Football
The first international football tournament hosted by the stadium was the 2015 SAFF championship. India were crowned the champions, beating Afghanistan 2-1. The final recorded an attendance of more than 40,000 spectators.
Cricket
On May 27, 2016, The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has signed an agreement with Kariyavattom Sports Facilities Limited (KSFL) to take Greenfield Stadium on lease till November 18, 2027. According to the agreement, the KCA will be using the stadium for 180 days in a year (from October 1 to January 31 and from April 1 to May 30). However, the KCA can still hold cricket matches on other days if stadium is available. The KCA will be held responsible for the maintenance of the playing area inside the stadium. The KCA will pay a fixed amount as fees and will share revenue with KSFL when international matches are held at the stadium. A joint committee consisting of six members, three each from KCA and KSFL, will manage and monitor the activities during the lease period. The KCA members in the committee will be its secretary and president.
On 7 November 2017, India played a T20I against New Zealand on the ground. The match was truncated by rain to 8 overs per side, with India winning by 6 runs.
Awards
The Sports Hub, Trivandrum has been adjudged as the winner of the prestigious David Vickers Award for New Venue of the Year, in the Stadium Business Awards 2016 held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain on June 1, 2016.
Controversies
The Greenfield International Stadium was announced as the venue for India West Indies cricket match to be conducted on Nov 01, 2018 during West Indies tour of India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s tour and programme committee which met in Mumbai has allotted five one-day international matches between India and West Indies in Mumbai, Indore, Guwahati, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram. But Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has has decided to choose Kochi over Thiruvananthapuram.
The Kerala Cricket Association's insistence on having the match at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi ignited a furore after the football loving community lodged their strong protest against the move which even saw online campaign #SaveKochiTurf. They felt that KCA's decision to reconstruct pitches at the JNI stadium will damage the turf laid for the U-17 World Cup last year. They also felt that staging the ODI in November would jeopardize the home fixtures of Kerala Blasters and playing on a revamped surface would put players to the risk of injuries. Sports personalities, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, IM Vijayan, Sunil Chhetri, CK Vineeth, Ian Hume, Member of parliament Sasi Tharoor, came out against KCA move and the Sports Minister of the state held a meeting with KCA officials.
Finally Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) climbed down from its adamant stand of hosting the India vs West Indies ODI in Kochi and agreed to have the match in Thiruvananthapuram.
International cricket matches hosted
T20I
References
External links
- Greenfield International Stadium ESPNCricinfo
- The Sports Hub Trivandrum Official Website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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