The Pakistan Cricket Board and the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will sign an agreement on Tuesday to hand over management of Niaz Stadium to the board for 20 years. Under the accord, the PCB will pay a monthly rent of Rs10,000, while the civic body will receive 20% of the stadium's gate-ticket revenue.
Ownership will remain with the HMC, while the PCB will hold full administrative control and rights over commercial and broadcasting activities. The board will upgrade the venue to international standards to host international, first-class, and Pakistan Super League matches.
This development follows the venue regaining prominence in February 2026 when the official name and logo of the seventh PSL franchise were unveiled there. Established in 1959 with a capacity of about 15,000, Niaz Stadium hosted its first first-class match in 1962 and its first Test during the 1972-73 season.
The historic ground subsequently hosted four more Tests, including cricket history's 1,000th Test between Pakistan and New Zealand, alongside a 1987 World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Its international status later declined due to inadequate facilities, leading to its last ODI being played during the 1997-98 season.
The PCB previously upgraded facilities in 2007, enabling an ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in January 2008. The venue remained under board management for 11 years until the Qasimabad Municipal Committee revoked the MoU on April 2, 2018, and reclaimed control.