Three friends, one hillside
Shimla Cricket Ground is a private ground built by three friends: Veenu Diwan, Ajay Thakur and Abhay Thakur. They have played cricket together since they were young, and their dream was simple: a cricket ground of their own in Shimla.
The idea began in 2021. The site, at Padechi near Mehli on the outskirts of Shimla, is a steep hillside, so the first job was to cut into the mountain itself. About 70,000 tipper loads of debris were taken away, and strong retaining walls, roughly 150 m long, were built so the ground would be completely secure.
The playing area is about 120 m by 90 m, laid with American grass. Four years of work, paid for by the friends' own resources and driven by their passion for the game, turned a hillside into a ground. As reported by Janta Times TV, the aim is for children from Himachal to grow from here towards the IPL and the national side.
The ground at a glance
- 4 years
- From bare hillside to a ground
- ~70,000
- Tipper loads of debris removed
- ~150 m
- Long retaining walls
- 120 x 90 m
- Playing area, about
- ~100
- Guests can stay on site
Figures are approximate and come from press reports about the ground, including the Janta Times TV article below.
