{{Short description|Multi-purpose stadium in Quetta, Pakistan}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox venue | name = Ayub National Stadium | native_name = ایوب نیشنل اسٹیڈیم | native_name_lang = ur | nickname = | image = | caption = | former_names = Baluchistan Cricket Association Ground | country = Pakistan | location = [[Quetta]], Balochistan, [[Pakistan]] | coordinates = {{Coord|30|12|14|N|66|59|53|E|type:landmark|display=it}} | tenants = | seating_capacity = 20,000 | renovated = 2023 }}
'''Ayub National Stadium''', formerly known as the '''Baluchistan Cricket Association Ground''', is a [[multi-purpose stadium]] in [[Quetta]], [[Pakistan]]. It is currently used mostly for hosting [[Football (soccer)|football]] matches. The stadium has a capacity of 20,000 people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-03-19 |title=Renovation of Ayub Stadium Quetta underway to host national games |url=https://www.app.com.pk/sports/renovation-ayub-stadium-quetta-underway-host-national-games/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-06-13 |title=Pakistan-India opening match ends in draw |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/143237/pakistan-india-opening-match-ends-in-draw |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref>
The ground is part of the Ayub Sports Complex, which contains a football pitch, a [[tartan track]], two halls for indoor games, a [[handball]] court, and two [[field hockey]] turfs.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-09 |title=Tight security measures planned for National Games in Quetta |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1058762-tight-security-measures-planned-for-national-games-in-quetta |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=[[The News International]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=34th National Games rescheduled - sources |url=https://www.geosuper.tv/latest/23874-34th-national-games-rescheduled |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=[[Geo Super]] |language=en-US|date=2023-04-12}}</ref> It is located next to the [[Bugti Stadium]], which used for hosting [[cricket]] matches.
== History == The stadium has hosted two [[One Day International]] (ODI) cricket matches, one in 1978, and the other in 1984. In both of these matches, [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] faced [[India national cricket team|India]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ayub National Stadium, Quetta Cricket Team Records & Stats {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/engine/records/team/match_results.html?class=2&id=715&type=ground |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=[[ESPNcricinfo]]}}</ref><ref name="Dawn">{{Cite web |last=Paracha |first=Nadeem F. |author-link=Nadeem F. Paracha |date=10 March 2017 |title=Stadium stories: Famous Pakistan cricket grounds |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1319194 |accessdate=11 March 2017 |work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |archive-date=10 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310165013/https://www.dawn.com/news/1319194 |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 12 June 2005, it hosted the first of three friendly games in a [[Association football|football]] series between [[Pakistan national football team|Pakistan]] and [[India national football team|India]], which ended in a 1–1 draw, with goals scored by [[Sunil Chhetri]] and [[Muhammad Essa]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan hold India in first football match |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2005/jun/12pak.htm |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=www.rediff.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-06-13 |title=Indian coach praises Pakistan |url=http://www.brecorder.com/news/3169659 |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=[[Business Recorder]] |language=en}}</ref>
The stadium subsequently hosted the 2016 and 2017 editions of the Balochistan Football Cup.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2016-08-08 |title=Balochistan cup: Chaman, Turbat through to semis |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1157667/balochistan-cup-chaman-turbat-semis |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=[[The Express Tribune]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Raheel |date=2016-08-10 |title=Balochistan Cup: Resilient Quetta beat Jafarabad 8-2 |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1159788/balochistan-cup-resilient-quetta-beat-jafarabad-8-2 |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=[[The Express Tribune]] |language=en|first=Natasha}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Raheel |date=2016-08-13 |title=Balochistan Cup: Quetta declared province's champions |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1161334/balochistan-cup-quetta-declared-provinces-champions |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=[[The Express Tribune]] |language=en|first=Natasha}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nazir brace powers Quetta to title win |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/142144-Nazir-brace-powers-Quetta-to-title-win |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=[[The News International]] |language=en|date=2016-08-13}}</ref>
Over time, neglect and mismanagement led to the stadium falling into disrepair, mainly being used for political gatherings.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Renovation Of Ayub Stadium Quetta Underway To Host National Games |url=https://www.urdupoint.com/en/sports/renovation-of-ayub-stadium-quetta-underway-to-288524.html |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=UrduPoint |language=en}}</ref> The football ground lacked basic facilities, including pavilion, and it was denuded of grass.<ref name=":3" /> The stadium's renovation started in March 2018, for the 2019 [[National Games of Pakistan]] and generally to revive sports activities at the stadium.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-17 |title=New tartan track may be laid in Quetta for National Games |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/419941-new-tartan-track-may-be-laid-in-quetta-for-national-games |access-date=2026-04-16 |website=[[The News International]] |language=en}}</ref>
In November 2021, the stadium hosted the Ufone 4G Balochistan Football Cup 2021 organised by [[Ufone]], including the final between [[Muslim FC]] and [[Baloch FC Quetta|Baloch Quetta]].<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=25 November 2021 |title=Muslim Club Chaman Downs Baloch Club Quetta to Clinch Ufone 4G Balochistan Football Cup |url=https://propakistani.pk/2021/11/25/muslim-club-chaman-downs-baloch-club-quetta-to-clinch-ufone-4g-balochistan-football-cup/amp/ |work=ProPakistani|access-date=2026-04-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wasim |first=Umaid |date=2021-11-26 |title=Balochistan's boundless passion for football has nowhere to go but an event is keeping the flame alive |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1660239 |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |language=en}}</ref>
It underwent another round of renovation between 2021 and 2023, for the [[2023 National Games of Pakistan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-02-23 |title=Renovation of Ayub Stadium in progress |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1608836 |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-05-23 |title=PM vows all-out support for promotion of sports in country |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1755117 |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |language=en}}</ref> It was the main venue in the event, where the Sports Complex was used for [[badminton]], [[basketball]], [[martial arts]], [[handball]], [[Squash (sport)|squash]], [[tennis]], [[volleyball]], and other indoor games,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-14 |title=34TH NATIONAL GAMES 2023 QUETTA COMPETITION SCHEDULE |url=https://nocpakistan.org/userfiles/file/2023/Competition%20Schedule%20(14-04-2023)%20-%20Updated.pdf |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[Pakistan Olympic Association]]}}</ref> and the stadium hosted [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]], [[Association football|football]], and [[tug of war]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-13 |title=Football events kick off today |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1069753-football-events-kick-off-today |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=[[The News International]] |language=en}}</ref>
At the end of 2023, political rallies held by [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)|JUI-F]], [[Pakistan People's Party|Pakistan Peoples Party]] and [[Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party|PKMAP]] caused millions of rupees worth of damage to the running track in the stadium and left it in urgent need of repairs.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-13 |title=Fact-check: Rallies by JUI-F, PPP, PKMAP caused damages of Rs184m at Balochistan's largest sports stadium |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/526867-fact-check-rallies-by-jui-f-ppp-pkmap-caused-damages-of-rs184m-at-balochistans-largest-sports-stadium |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=[[Geo News]] |language=en}}</ref>
==Cricket stats==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="font-size:100%" |- !colspan="7" rowspan="1"|Highest Partnership For Each Wicket in ODIs<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/22/1536/o_Highest_Partnerships.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|access-date=12 June 2023|archive-date=27 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927023458/https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/22/1536/o_Highest_Partnerships.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !scope="col" style="width:60px"| Wicket Number !scope="col" style="width:80px"| Team A !scope="col" style="width:80px"| Team B !scope="col" style="width:200px"| Players !scope="col" style="width:80px"| Partnership !scope="col" style="width:80px"| Match Date |- |align="center"| 1st. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[Ravi Shastri|RJ Shastri]] & SC Khanna |align="center"| 33 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1984-85|1984-85]] |- |align="center"| 2nd. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[Majid Khan (cricketer, born 1946)|Majid Khan]] & [[Zaheer Abbas]] |align="center"| 60 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1978–79|1978/79]] |- |align="center"| 3rd. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[Zaheer Abbas]] & [[Javed Miandad]] |align="center"| 74 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1984-85|1984-85]] |- |align="center"| 4th. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[GR Viswanath]] & [[DB Vengsarkar]] |align="center"| 12 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1978–79|1978/79]] |- |align="center"| 5th. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[DB Vengsarkar]] & [[Mohinder Amarnath|M Amarnath]] |align="center"| 76 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1978–79|1978/79]] |- |align="center"| 6th. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[Hasan Jamil]] & [[Mohsin Khan (Pakistani cricketer)|Mohsin Khan]] |align="center"| 19 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1978–79|1978/79]] |- |align="center"| 7th. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[Manzoor Elahi]] & [[Mudassar Nazar]] |align="center"| 25 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1984-85|1984-85]] |- |align="center"| 8th. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[Madan Lal]] & C Sharma |align="center"| 9 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1984-85|1984-85]] |- |align="center"| 9th. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| [[Wasim Bari]] & [[Sarfraz Nawaz]] |align="center"| 27* Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1978–79|1978/79]] |- |align="center"| 10th. Wicket |align="center"| [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] |align="center"| [[India national cricket team|India]] |align="center"| C Sharma & [[Maninder Singh (cricketer)|Maninder Singh]] |align="center"| 17 Runs |align="center"| [[Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1984-85|1984-85]] |}
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="font-size:100%" |- !colspan="7" rowspan="1"| First-Class Records and Statistics<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/22/1536_f.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|access-date=12 June 2023|archive-date=27 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927010840/https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/22/1536_f.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !scope="col" style="width:100px"| Matches !scope="col" style="width:100px"| Team A !scope="col" style="width:100px"| Team B !scope="col" style="width:100px"| Match Date !scope="col" style="width:100px"| Season |- |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| [[Quetta cricket team|Quetta]] |align="center"| [[Pakistan Customs cricket team|Pakistan Customs]] |align="center"| 20 October 1974 |align="center"| [[President’s Trophy Grade-I|1974-75]] |- |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| [[Baluchistan Governor's XI]] |align="center"| [[West Indies national cricket team|West Indies]] |align="center"| 12 October 1986 |align="center"| [[West Indian cricket team in Pakistan in 1986-87|1986-87]] |- |align="center"| 3 |align="center"| [[Baluchistan Governor's XI]] |align="center"| [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] |align="center"| 9 September 1988 |align="center"| [[Australian cricket team in Pakistan in 1988–89|1988-89]] |- |align="center"| 4 |align="center"| [[Baluchistan Governor's XI]] |align="center"| [[Sri Lanka A cricket team|Sri Lanka A]] |align="center"| 24 March 1989 |align="center"| 1988-89 |}
==See also== * [[List of stadiums in Pakistan]] * [[List of football stadiums in Pakistan]] * [[List of cricket grounds in Pakistan]] * [[List of sports venues in Karachi]] * [[List of sports venues in Lahore]] * [[List of sports venues in Faisalabad]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Football venues in Pakistan]] [[Category:Quetta]] [[Category:Stadiums in Pakistan]] [[Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in Pakistan]] [[Category:Cricket grounds in Pakistan]] [[Category:Sport in Balochistan, Pakistan]]