On Thursday, India played South Africa in the second T20I of their five-match series. While the game was going on, two new stands were opened at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. The seats were named after Yuvraj Singh, who won the World Cup in 2011, and Harmanpreet Kaur, who led the winning team at the Women’s World Cup in 2025.
Harmanpreet was there with Amanjot Singh and Harleen Deol, and the two of them were given cash prizes of ₹11 lakh each. Mithun Manhas, the new BCCI president, was there too. At the reveal, India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, also said, “Well, well done” to Yuvraj. Before the toss, the former Indian bowler was seen in a team meeting with Suryakumar Yadav and others, and you could tell that the players were happy to see him. India, on the other hand, won the toss and chose to play.
Yuvraj Singh, who is from Chandigarh
During India’s 2011 World Cup win, Yuvraj and Gambhir were on the same team. The two shared a warm hug, showing how friendly and close they were. Yuvraj was the first player in the 2011 World Cup to take five wickets and also get a 50 in the same match. He hit 362 runs in nine games during the event, with eight innings. His average was 90.50. During the event, he had an economy rate of 5.02 and got 15 wickets. He is also from Chandigarh.
He was always on the Punjab state team during his local career. In First Class cricket, he played 139 games for Punjab. He scored a total of 8,965 runs, averaging 44.16. He has 26 tons and 36 half-centuries for Punjab. He also got 41 wickets for his home team. He also played for the Punjab Kings in the IPL twice.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s origins in Punjab
Harmanpreet’s dad was an athlete, and she was born in Punjab. When she joined the Gian Jyoti School Academy, she became more interested in cricket. She plays for Punjab in local cricket, and this is her second time rejoining the team. At the same time, he is the captain of the Mumbai Indians in the WPL.
1st men’s international match in Mullanpur
It cost about ₹230 crore to build the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, also known as the New Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. It was named for Yadavindra Singh, the ninth and last Maharaja of Patiala. Since 2024, the IPL team Punjab has also lived there. Besides Harmanpreet and Yuvraj, it also has a stand named after Harbhajan Singh.
On Thursday, the stadium will have its first-ever men’s international cricket match. It can hold 38,000 people, and its herringbone drainage system is famous for helping to clear water from the surface 25 to 30 minutes after it stops raining. Instead of regular dirt, the field at the venue is made of sand, which makes it more stable. It also has a media centre, two international-standard shower rooms with steam, sauna, and ice bath amenities, and a fully-equipped gym.
