On May 16, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) held a lavish ceremony at the storied Wankhede Stadium to officially open three stands that bear the names of notable Indian cricket players and officials. There were lavish decorations and a festive vibe to the occasion.
Cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan forced the postponement of the event, which was initially planned for May 13. The occasion will feature the dedication of the MCA office lounge in honor of the association’s late president, Amol Kale, in addition to the stands’ unveiling. On April 15, at MCA’s 86th Annual General Meeting, the decision to name the stands was made.
In recognition of India’s current ODI captain and his outstanding leadership during the 2024 T20 World Cup, which was held in the USA and the West Indies, as well as the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, the Divecha Pavilion Level 3 will be dubbed the Rohit Sharma Stand. Banners and flower decorations highlighting Rohit Sharma in his Test shirt were displayed on the stand. The official name plate was ceremoniously unveiled after being concealed beneath a cloak.
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗛𝗜𝗧 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗 🫡🏟#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai #RohitSharmaStand | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/dqdWu6YSQ5
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 16, 2025The Ajit Wadekar Stand will be located on Grand Stand Level 4 in honor of the former Indian captain who was a key figure in Indian cricket in the 1970s. In honor of Sharad Pawar’s accomplishments as the former head of the ICC, BCCI, and MCA, the Grand Stand Level 3 will be renamed the Pawar Stand.
Rohit Sharma, an Indian senior cricketer, has declared his retirement from T20 International cricket after leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Ahead of the forthcoming tour of England, he also declared his retirement from Test cricket on May 7.
Further than that, it was in the year 1971 that under his captaincy India grabbed their maiden test match victories both in the West Indies and England, the epoch-making achievement that helped to coin the phrase Indian cricket. The Linking and charming personality, unfortunately, died at the age of 77 in August 2018.
As the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) from 2001 to 2016, Sharad Pawar is recognized as a leading influence in the organization. During his term, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final was held at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
