Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) president Rakesh Tiwari believes securing the rights to the Moin-ul-Haq stadium on a long-term lease from the state government could be the turning point for Bihar Cricket and for sports in the state.
The BCA acquired the Moin-ul-Haq stadium from the Bihar government on long-term lease. The stadium currently serves as the home of the Bihar cricket team and has hosted nine international matches since its inception in 1969.
Not many know that BCA and its chairman Mr. Rakesh Tiwari worked tirelessly for years to get a stadium in the name of the governing body. Reflecting on the journey that led to this moment, the BCA president recounted the challenges that Bihar cricket faced after the bifurcation of the state in 2000.
“This is a dream come true for us. Since the bifurcation of the state of Bihar in 2000, the main infrastructure was taken over by the Jharkhand Cricket Association. Only the Moin-ul-Haq stadium was with us and that too was under the Bihar government,” Rakesh Tiwari said in a statement.
“It was governed by the state of Bihar itself, we never rented it and to use it we were totally dependent on the permission of the Bihar government to use it,” he added.
Speaking further about the challenges faced by BCA, Mr. Rakesh Tiwari said, “Initially, Moin-ul-Haq was created for football. But when we started our process in 2010, 8 long years passed and it was decided that Moin-ul-Haq Stadium would be handed over to Bihar Cricket for cricket activities only. “
“Before 2018, the stadium could also be used by schools for their annual functions etc., but after 2018 we were given the opportunity to conduct cricket activities on a priority basis. We used to pay rent of around INR 50,000,” he added.
Despite the challenges, the BCA president and his team remained steadfast in their pursuit. With plans underway to revamp infrastructure and amenities, the stadium is set to boast world-class facilities.
“But I and the BCA officials kept trying and never lost hope. Our hard work finally resulted in the Bihar government granting a long-term lease to Moin-ul-Haq Stadium. And now we plan to build a world-class cricket complex here. I feel this could be the turning point for Bihar cricket,” Rakesh Tiwari said.
