Agartala may become KKR's second home ground next year

'IPL chairman Arun Kumar Dhumal recently visited the proposed international stadium at Narsingarh on the outskirts of the state capital. He said if the stadium's is ready before February next year, it could be made second home ground of KKR or some else other state will get the benefit,' TCA secretary Subarta Dey said.

Agartala: The under-construction international cricket stadium at Narsingarh in Tripura could become Kolkata Knight Riders' second home ground for the 2025 IPL season since the iconic Eden Garden in Kolkata is set for a massive makeover next year, a Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) official said on Friday.

The construction at the international stadium at Narsingarh began way back in 2017 with an estimated cost of Rs. 185 crore but the stadium is not yet ready.

"IPL chairman Arun Kumar Dhumal recently visited the proposed international stadium at Narsingarh on the outskirts of the state capital. He said if the stadium's is ready before February next year, it could be made second home ground of KKR or some else other state will get the benefit," TCA secretary Subarta Dey told PTI.

"Since it is a golden chance to host IPL matches at the proposed stadium, we have summoned a reputed construction agency to expedite work and get it completed by February 2025.

"The TCA will review the construction work and if the agency fails to meet the deadline, we will terminate it and engage a new firm to complete the remaining work," he said.

The agency has so far completed 80 percent in the past seven years even as the deadline of the project was only 22 months.

Dey said the matter was discussed during the TCA’s general body meeting held here on Thursday where it was decided to go for all-out to get the stadium works completed by the stipulated time.

"If we could complete the stadium's work by February next year, I am confident of hosting at least two IPL matches of KKR at Narsingarh international cricket stadium”, he said.