PCB takes over Hyderabad's historic Niaz Stadium for 20 years

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is taking over the management of Hyderabad’s historic Niaz Stadium for 20 years, with plans to bring international cricket back to one of Sindh’s oldest grounds.

The PCB and the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) were due to sign the agreement on Tuesday, the civic body said, Geo News reported.

The deal

• Rent: the PCB will pay the HMC Rs10,000 a month
• Gate money: the HMC will receive 20 percent of ticket revenue
• Ownership: the stadium stays with the HMC
• Control: the PCB gets full administrative control and rights over commercial and broadcasting activities
• Upgrade: the PCB will bring the ground up to international standards so it can host international, first-class and Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches

The arrangement is meant to restore the venue’s condition and its place as a major cricket ground in Sindh.

A ground with history

Niaz Stadium, named after Niaz Ahmed, the Hyderabad commissioner who drove its construction, holds around 15,000 spectators and first hosted first-class cricket in 1962. Its record includes:

• 1972-73: its first Test, a draw between Pakistan and England
• Five Tests in all, including the 1,000th Test in cricket history, between Pakistan and New Zealand
• 1984: its last Test, a draw with New Zealand
• 1987 World Cup: Pakistan’s narrow win over Sri Lanka in front of a full house

Memorable moments

• First ODI hat-trick: Pakistan’s Jalal-ud-Din took the first hat-trick in one-day internationals here, against Australia in the 1982-83 season, removing Rod Marsh, Bruce Yardley and Geoff Lawson
• Miandad’s 280 not out: in January 1983, Javed Miandad made an unbeaten 280 against India and shared a 451-run stand with Mudassar Nazar, as Pakistan piled up 581 for three declared
• A fortress: Pakistan have never lost a Test or an ODI at the ground, according to its records

Decline and comeback attempts

Poor facilities and a lack of accommodation saw the ground lose its international status, and its last ODI for a decade came in 1997-98. The PCB upgraded the venue in 2007, and Pakistan played Zimbabwe in an ODI there in January 2008, ending a ten-year wait for international cricket in Hyderabad.

The board ran the stadium for 11 years until April 2, 2018, when the Qasimabad Municipal Committee revoked the agreement and took the ground back. In May 2025, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced that the stadium would be upgraded to international standards.

A new PSL connection

The stadium has been back in the spotlight this year. In February 2026, the name and logo of the PSL’s seventh franchise were unveiled at a star-studded ceremony at Niaz Stadium, marking the team’s formal entry into the league.

A busy home season

The deal comes as Pakistan prepare for a full home season. Sri Lanka play three T20Is in Rawalpindi from October 9, followed by a seven-match ODI tri-series with England in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Why it matters

Fans in Hyderabad have seen little top-level cricket since 2008. A long-term PCB lease, a planned upgrade and a PSL team give the city a real chance to host big matches again, and to spread cricket beyond the usual venues. Read our report on Pakistan’s squads for the Sri Lanka series.

This article draws on reporting by Geo News, with records from Wikipedia.