The PCB has taken charge of the Quaid-e-Azam stadium in Mirpur and has
identified it as a potential venue for international cricket. Mirpur is
the largest town in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), a self-governing state
under Pakistani control to the north-east of Punjab, and is known as
'Little Britain' because of the large immigrant population in England
from this area.
The region's cricket coordinator Fazal-ur-Rehman told ESPNcricinfo that
the AJK sports development authority had handed over the stadium's
rights to the PCB on Monday. "The stadium has all the basic requirements
for cricket but the PCB was keen to develop it and raise it to
international standards," Rehman said. "This part of the region is fine
from the security point of view."
Pakistan currently has 25 first-class venues and four major Test venues.
The Mirpur stadium has a capacity of 16,000 and has hosted eight
first-class matches from 2005 to 2009; it has also hosted several
Under-19 international matches against Australia in 2007.
"It is a potential venue with a good law and order situation," Intikhab
Alam, the PCB's director of international cricket, said. "We have
scrutinised various venues around the country and this venue has all the
features to be an internationally recognised stadium. There are things
that obviously have to be improved and the PCB will ensure all the
required facilities for international fixtures. The city has quality
logistic facilities, including hotels."
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