India vs Windies | Lucknow stadium renamed in memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

India currently lead the three-match T20I series against Windies by 1-0 after a late effort from the lower batting order got the home team over the line in Kolkata on Sunday. Rohit Sharma & Co. are slated to take on the visitors in the second game at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday.

However, there has been a slight change in the proceedings as the stadium in Lucknow was renamed after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday. This came just a day before was scheduled to host its first international T20 match between India and West Indies. 

The state-of-the-art facility was the dream project of Samajwadi Party (SP) national president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and has now been renamed as ‘Bharat Ratan Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Antar-rashtriya Cricket Stadium’. The order was issued by Housing and Urban Planning Department Principal Secretary Nitin Ramesh Gokarn after governor Ram Naik approved of the whole idea.

The government notice said, “As per the Article 17.5.1 of the concession agreement between Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), Ekana Sportz City Pvt Ltd and GC Constructions and Development Industries Pvt Ltd, after giving it proper thoughts the Governor has happily accepted the proposal to change name of the international cricket stadium, situated in the Sector 7 of Gomti Nagar Extension, to Bharat Ratan Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Antar-Rashtriya Cricket Stadium.”