India grants $1m for Afghanistan stadium

The Indian government has approved the grant of $1 million for the construction of a cricket stadium in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar. The funding was granted under the Indian government's Small Development Project Scheme.

The stadium is set to come up in Aino Mina, a northern suburb of Kandahar city, on land donated to the Afghanistan Cricket Board in 2012.

Dr Noor Murad, the ACB's chief executive officer, thanked the Indian government and the embassy in Kabul for approving the funds. "The construction of this stadium will be a major boost to the development of cricket in the southern region as well as in the whole country," he said. "The addition of this facility will allow greater developments in terms of coaching and performance as well as regular competitions."

The announcement of the grant included the following statement: "We [India] have recognised that sports, including cricket and football, have united the country and enthused the youth more than anything else. We hope that this new facility, and the various initiatives taken by ACB, will further popularise cricket and bring greater glory to the nation.