Gaddafi Stadium, World’s Second Largest Cricket Stadium
Gaddafi (Qaddafi) Stadium is the world's second largest international cricket ground located in the historical city of Lahore, Pakistan. The headquarters of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also located within the premises of the Gaddafi Stadium as well which is owned by the PCB itself.
Designed by Pakistan’s famous architect Murat Khan, the stadium was completed in 1959. The ground was formerly named "Lahore Stadium", but later in 1974, it was renamed in the honour of Colonel Gaddafi of Libya after he visited Pakistan to attend the Organization of the Islamic Conference, where he backed Pakistan's right to pursue nuclear weapons.
The stadium was built back in the 1960’s and was an inadequately maintained stadium, constructed with a concrete frame and a red brick infill elevation and concrete interiors.
In 1995-96, when Pakistan was going to host 1996 Cricket World Cup, the stadium was completely renovated. Pakistan’s renowned architect Nayyar Ali Dada renovated it on the Mughal School of red hand-laid brickwork and arches. The basic outline of the Gaddafi stadium is a circular plan of approximately 260 meters in diameter. The perimeter of the stadium is made of red brick as well.
Originally, the seating capacity of the stadium was 30,000 spectators with only 15 percent individual seating. The aim of the design was to expand the seating area to 35, 000 with a minimum of 60 percent individual seats.
In the renovated stadium, the concrete benches were replaced with plastic seating. Following the stadium’s renovation in 1996, it had a capacity of over 60,000 spectators. Renovation in 2009-10 further increased the capacity to 92,645 spectators. After the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) of Australia, the Gaddafi Stadium is the world's second largest stadium.
The stadium hosted a crowd of over 60,000 spectators in the final of the 1996 World Cup. However, regardless the notable capacity, the ground has often been sparsely attended for Test matches, with at times comes down to as few as 1000 spectators turning up. Limited over’s cricket, as with the rest of the subcontinent, is more popular and crowds over and above 20,000 are normal.
It was Pakistan’s first stadium to receive artificial floodlights which have their own standby power generators. Modern facilities for the media are another forte of the Gaddafi Stadium as well in which more than 400 media persons can easily work from the stadium.
The first test match on this ground was played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka from 21-26 November, 1959, and the last test was also played between the same two teams on 1-6 March 200. Although the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team on the third day of test match on 3rd March, 2009 lead to an abrupt end.
The first ODI was played between the men in green and England on 13th January, 1978 and the last ODI was played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on 24th January, 2009.
The highest individual score in test cricket on this ground is 329, scored by Pakistan’s former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq while playing against New Zealand in 2002. The highest team total in test cricket played in Gaddafi Stadium is 699 runs, scored by Pakistan against India in 1989, and the lowest test total of just 73 runs was scored by the Kiwis against Pakistan in 2002.
Highest ODI team total recorded on this ground is 357 for 9 by Sri Lanka against Bangladesh on 25th June, 2008, and the lowest team total of 75 runs was scored by the hosts against Sri Lanka on 22nd January, 2009. Ijaz Ahmed of Pakistan holds the honour of scoring the highest ODI individual score of 139 not out against India on October 2, 1997.
Pakistan has enjoyed some unforgettable moments on the lush ground of Gaddafi Stadium. A fifth-wicket stand of 281 runs between Asif Iqbal and Javed Miandad against New Zealand in 1976 and a victory of a great margin of an innings and 324 runs against New Zealand in 2002 are the two most triumphant moments against the mighty Kiwis that Pakistan has seen in the Gaddafi stadium.
In the history of bowling, this is the stadium where three hat-tricks have been taken. Peter Petherick of New Zealand recorded 1st hat-trick against Pakistan on 9th October, 1976. Pakistan’s legendary Wasim Akram scored the second hat-trick against Sri Lanka on 6th March, 1999. Third hat-trick was also chalked against Sri Lanka by Mohammad Sami of Pakistan.
On 3rd March 2009, the programmed third day of second Test of 2008–09 Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan, convoy of Sri Lankan team was targeted by armed militants at Liberty round about near Gaddafi stadium. Eight Sri Lankan players - including captain of Sri Lankan side, Mahela Jayawardene - were injured. The on tour team was air-lifted to a nearby airbase, from where they were evacuated back to Sri Lanka.
Since then, no international cricket has been played on this ground. The ground and the cricket fans of Lahore are desperately waiting for the international cricket to come back to the city of a thousand gardens once again.
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