What am I looking at?
The Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, formerly known as Fateh Maidan, is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana.
The quick answer
The Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, formerly known as Fateh Maidan, is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana. The stadium is primarily used for cricket and association football.
How it came to be
The stadium was renamed in 1967 in memory of Lal Bahadur Shastri, India's former Prime Minister. As of 19 August 2017, it has hosted 3 cricket Tests and 14 ODIs.
The detail most people miss
During the eight-month siege of Golconda in 1687 the Mughal soldiers were camped on a vast open ground. After their victory, this ground was named as Fateh Maidan (Victory Square). During Asaf Jahi period, Fateh Maidan was used as Polo Grounds. Gymkhana ground in Secunderabad, which was the home of Hyderabad Cricket Association, did not have stands to accommodate the large number of spectators that used to watch the cricket matches. The matches were therefore held at Fateh Maidan even though the grounds were not owned by Hyderabad Cricket Association but by Andhra Pradesh Sports Council. The first test match was hosted in November 1955 against New Zealand. The stadium was renamed as Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in 1967. Floodlights were introduced in 1993 during the Hero Cup match between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. The Stadium was the home ground for the Hyderabad cricket team.
Why it still matters
In 2005, the use of Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium for International cricket was discontinued when Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium built across town hosted an ODI Match between India and South Africa. The stadium was hosting Indian Cricket League matches and was the homeground for the 2008 Edelweiss 20's Challenge winners Hyderabad Heroes.
Look closer
Lal Bahadur Stadium is situated behind the police control room, between the Nizam College and Public Gardens in Hyderabad. It is the venue for many national and international sporting events, especially football and cricket.