Vijayawada: Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) president and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath said that the primary objective of the ACA is to develop cricket stadiums in Visakhapatnam, Mangalagiri, Mulapadu and Kadapa with world-class infrastructure so that national and international matches can be hosted regularly in Andhra Pradesh.

He was speaking to the media after inaugurating the newly constructed ACA administration office along with ACA secretary Sana Satish Babu here on Tuesday. Vice-president Narasimha Rao, joint secretary Vijay Kumar, treasurer Dandamudi Srinivasa Rao and other ACA members were also present.

Sivanath said that ACA operations are being efficiently managed through the Game Development Office in Visakhapatnam and the administration office in Vijayawada. He said that in the last one and a half years, with the support of Secretary Sana Satish Babu, ACA succeeded in bringing an unprecedented number of international matches to the state. He noted that more international matches were hosted in Visakhapatnam during this period than in the previous ten years combined.

Sivanath said tenders have been invited to develop the Mangalagiri stadium as a sports centre with 50 rooms. At Mulapadu, a cricket academy on the lines of the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru will be established. Infrastructure works are also underway at Kadapa stadium to increase accommodation facilities. He added that upcoming APL matches will be hosted at Vizag, Mangalagiri, Mulapadu, and Kadapa.

He further announced a rural talent search programme across 82 rural constituencies to identify and train young cricketers. ACA secretary Sana Satish Babu said that under Sivanath’s leadership, ACA has achieved remarkable success, including the appointment of foreign coach Gary Stead and former India women’s captain Mithali Raj as mentor, resulting in excellent performances across men’s and women’s cricket.