'Fantastic' is all I can say if you ask me describe the new cricket stadium in Hyderabad. The state-of-the-art stadium, named as Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium after a lot of kirikiri, looks stunning under the six floodlights built around the battle arena. The seating arrangement is reminiscent of the grounds in South Africa. The grass on the ground is manicured with great elan and the electronic scoreboards show replay of every ball bowled. The cops and the HCA need a special mention for managing the parking and other arrangements at the stadium well. Of course, the facilities can be improved further, but they are far better than what we encounter at the dilapidated LB Stadium.

A lot of people complain that the stadium is far off from the city center (located in Uppal, about 15 km from Punjagutta, but only 4 km from my home), but this helps in managing the traffic easily.

The stadium is expected to house close to 60,000 people when all the stands get ready. I don't know whether the pitch is ready for hosting the longer format of the game, but it is a perfect venue for T20 and 50-over games. Unfortunately, I am unable to get a good image of the stadium on the net.

Good days ahead for cricket lovers in Hyderabad.