The ongoing success of IPL at Dharamshala, has encouraged HPCA to plan a one international at the picturesque stadium. We know it that later or sooner it’ll happen, but HPCA president Anurag Thakur wants to host an ODI match before iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar retires. Thakur said that “My dream is to host a one-day international before Tendulkar retires.”
The Indian Premier League has seen many international players playing in the beautiful ground but Tendulkar is yet to play here. Anurag said “The only facility which was preventing us from getting international status was the lack of a five-star hotel. After waiting for 10 years for some business house to build one, HPCA built one on our own,”
In 2007 ICC referee Alan Hurst had objected to the idea of Dharamsala stadium becoming a venue for international matches and then the state association took all corrective measures. The stadium site in Dharamshala was selected in 2000 and the first domestic match was played in 2002. It already hosted a Pakistan vs India practice match in 2005 apart from two under-19 ODIs between India and Australia. However, it still needs approval as an international stadium by ICC and we hope that it’ll get it soon.
