Aizawl, Apr 17 : Cricket achieved a major milestone in Mizoram as Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today laid the foundation stone of Suaka Memorial Cricket Stadium, the first-of-its-kind in the state.
The chief minister, also the new president of Cricket Association of Mizoram, lauded the efforts of the association in promoting cricket in Mizoram. ''Thanks to the association for the initiatives it had undertaken so far. Work for the stadium is in the halfway,'' he said.
Lal Thanhawla believed that cricket is the right game for Mizo boys who were good at throwing stone and catching. ''I strongly believe that Mizo boys can play cricket as well as football. This game should be popularized in Mizoram since it is also the game that makes the biggest money in our country,'' Lal Thanhawla said, and thanked the CAM for popularizing the game among the young boys.
A large plot of land at Sihhmui near here was donated by Rotluanga, a prominent citizen of Vaivakawn locality in Aizawl, for the cricket stadium in memory of his late father Suaka.
The CAM began its work on June 23, 2005 and has now transformed it into a large flat ground. The association received Rs 11.20 crore from DoNER ministry for construction of the stadium.
The CAM has been giving cricket coaching to about 70 kids below 14 years of age at Durtlang since 2008, before the sports minister launched his Catch Them Young policy.
The young boys are getting coaching classes from 0600 hours onwards in the morning session and from 1600 hours onwards in the afternoon session.
The CAM was formed by some cricket enthusiasts in Mizoram a few years back. The association is yet to be affiliated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It had been striving hard to get the BCCI’s affiliation but to no avail till date, it was learnt. With the chief minister heading the association, it hopes to get the much sought-after affiliation soon.
''The BCCIs affiliation will go a long way in promoting and developing the game in Mizoram where a majority of young boys are crazy after football,'' a source in the association said.
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