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    The Long Innings of Lahore Gymkhana Cricket Ground

    Written by: Aown Ali
    Posted on: March 17, 2021 |

    Nestled within the Lawrence Gardens is one of the most picturesque cricket arenas in the world

    Lahore, the cultural capital of Pakistan and the base of a sizeable architectural heritage of the country, also accommodates a cricket stadium worth great historic significance. Lahore Gymkhana Cricket Ground ranks as the oldest cricket ground of Pakistan, and the second oldest in the Indian subcontinent. Located within the scenic location of Bagh-e-Jinnah (formerly known as Lawrence Gardens), the Gymkhana ground was established in 1880, not long after Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, in 1864.

    The pavilion structure of the remarkable Gymkhana ground testifies to its historic significance and striking appearance. This log house style wooden architecture built from imported oak is described as a masterpiece of G. Stone and Bhai Ram Singh, a great architect who designed numerous buildings in Lahore during the British Raj. The pavilion closely resembles the Punjab Exhibition Hall (Tollinton Market) in style, located on Mall Road near Lahore Museum.   

    Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Lahore

     

    Prior to its construction, in the early 19th century, the field of Gymkhana ground was used as a balloon ascent site. In 1880, it was converted into a cricket ground and the pavilion structure was exclusively erected for that purpose. In 1882, the first turf wickets were laid with soil imported from Worcestershire, England. Until 1910, the ground used to host weekly matches of the staff of the Governor House, located not far away on the other side of Mall Road.

    The history of cricket matches at this ground goes back to the early 20th century. In 1911, the British Army and the World-XI played their first official match here. The former team was drawn from Punjabis, Sikhs, and the King's Regiment, while the latter had most of its players from Gloucestershire and Lancashire. 1923 saw a first class match between Muslim and Sikh teams, and in 1926, the first international match between MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) and the British Army took place. Later, in December 1934, in the first season of Ranji Trophy (the oldest Indian domestic cricket tournament), the North Indian team opened its campaign against the Indian Army. In 1936, on the same ground, India got its first ever victory in an international test match. Under the captaincy of Syed Wazir Ali, India’s first Muslim captain, an official match was played against Australia. In 1945, the last match of the Ranji Trophy was played between northern India and southern Punjab.

    Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Lahore

    Historic matches played at the Gymkhana Cricket Ground

    The momentous role of this ground did not dwindle even after Partition. To raise donations for the Quaid-e-Azam Relief Fund – a charity for refugees’ rehabilitation – the teams of Punjab and Sindh played opposite each other in December 1947. The ground also became the first headquarters of the Cricket Control Board of Pakistan, inaugurated in 1948, and of the Pakistan Eaglet Society in 1951. Formed by Justice A.R. Cornelius, the Eaglets were a squad of young cricketers sent to England for coaching and playing against clubs and international teams touring England. This squad later provided a good number of first class cricket players to Pakistan.   

    From 1948 to 1951, the ground hosted four unofficial test matches of Pakistan: against the West Indies in November 1948, the Commonwealth-IX in November 1949, Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) in March 1950, and finally against MCC in November 1951. The ground became the 35th official test centre of the world in January 1955, and Pakistan played its first official test match against India here. The second test was between Pakistan and New Zealand in October 1955, and the third and last test on this ground took place between Pakistan and West Indies in March 1959.

    Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Lahore

    Unlike Eden Gardens Kolkata, however, the Lawrence Gardens ground could not retain the status of international cricket host for long. In 1959, a new cricket stadium was established in Lahore – later named as the Gaddafi Stadium – which snatched the glory of international and first class cricket from the old Gymkhana ground. With the relocation of the Cricket Board offices as well as most of the matches, the role of Gymkhana ground diminished decisively in the years that followed. Between the ‘60s and ‘80s, it met a time of ravage that massively damaged its field and pavilion.

    Being a historic cricket centre, the Gymkhana ground once contained an enormous collection of photographs, souvenirs and official records, covering over a century of cricket in this part of the Indian subcontinent. The central hall of the heritage pavilion was decorated with group photos of cricketers and British high-ups from the 18th and early 19th century. But during these two decades of decline, most of this invaluable collection was lost to termites, rain, and theft.

    Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Lahore

    The cricket museum contains several rare photographs dating back to the 19th century

    In the late ‘80s and ‘90s, when this once-remarkable cricket centre was at the peak of its troubles, the government agreed to provide grants for its renovation. This move helped a great deal in restoring and improving the deplorable conditions of the pavilion and ground, although two decades of neglect and ruin had claimed the lion’s share of the archives of this 136-year-old structure.

    Hats off to Najum Latif, who has been putting in every effort to conserve what is left of this historic ground. The cricket museum he has passionately established here accommodates a range of souvenirs, photographs, score records and other objects, collected with painstaking effort from cricket enthusiasts and private collectors across Pakistan and India. The museum was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2009. The hall of the pavilion, packed from wall to wall with objects documenting the history of subcontinental cricket, demonstrates Najum Latif’s undaunted effort. He is leaving no stone unturned to make this place a hall of fame for Pakistani cricket.

    Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Lahore

    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021