Getting Moin-ul-Haq stadium on long-term lease could be turning point: BCA chief

Patna (Bihar) [India], March 19 : Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) president Rakesh Tiwari feels securing the rights for Moin-ul-Haq Stadium on a long-term lease from the state government could be the turning point for Bihar Cricket and for the sport in the state.
The BCA has acquired the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium from the Bihar government on a long-term lease. The stadium currently serves as the home ground for the Bihar cricket team and has been the site of nine international matches since its establishment in 1969.
"This is a dream come true for us. Since the bifurcation of Bihar state in 2000 the main infrastructure went to the Jharkhand Cricket Association. Only Moin-ul-Haq stadium was with us and that too was under the Bihar government," Tiwari said, according to a statement.
"It was governed by Bihar state itself, we never got it on lease and to use to it we were totally dependent on the permission of Bihar government to use it. Initially, Moin-ul-Haq was made for football. But when we started our proceedings in 2010, it took eight long years and it was decided that Moin-ul-Haq stadium would be given to Bihar Cricket to conduct activities of cricket only," he said.
"Prior to 2018, the stadium could also be used by schools for their annual functions, etc but after 2018 it was given to us to conduct cricket activities on a priority basis. We used to pay rent for it about INR 50k...
"But I and the office bearers in BCA kept on trying and never lost hope. Our hard work finally resulted in getting the Moin-ul-Haq stadium on a long-term lease by the Bihar government. And now we plan to make a world-class cricket complex here. I feel this could be the turning point for Bihar cricket," he added.