Lucknow's Ekana Stadium Renamed in Honour of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ahead of World Cup 2023

A Tribute Venue in the City of Nawabs

Formerly known simply as the Ekana Cricket Stadium, the ground in Lucknow was renamed in 2018 by the state government to honour former Indian Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "In 2018, the state government decided to rename it in honour of the former Indian Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee," the venue's profile records. The renaming turned a modern sporting arena into a civic tribute in a city long celebrated for its manners, poetry, music and cuisine.

From Duleep Trophy to International Cricket

The stadium was commissioned in 2014 and staged its first international match four years later. Before that milestone, it had already played host to the final of the 2017-18 Duleep Trophy. International cricket officially arrived at the venue in 2018, when India hosted West Indies in a T20I.

That contest proved historic. "The home team not only outclassed the Men in Maroon but also witnessed the fourth T20I century from the bat of Rohit Sharma, who became the first cricketer to achieve this feat in this notorious format," the profile recalls.

A 50,000-Seat Home for Lucknow and Afghanistan

With a seating capacity of more than 50,000 spectators, the ground serves as the home venue for the Lucknow franchise in the Indian T20 League. It has also extended its facilities to the Afghanistan national team, allowing them to stage a number of their international fixtures on Indian soil.

World Cup 2023 Spotlight

The Ekana Stadium has since hosted several international games across formats and has been picked to stage five matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, including a blockbuster clash between India and England.