Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark agreement to jointly develop an international-standard cricket stadium in Jeddah.
The strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The agreement is aimed at advancing cricket in Saudi Arabia while supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
The MoU was signed by Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Mohammad Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation, and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Naqvi arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday for an official visit, during which he is expected to hold discussions with Saudi officials on security cooperation and institutional collaboration.
Under the agreement, the two cricket boards will work together on the planning, design and development of the stadium. The partnership will also cover technical expertise, infrastructure development and operational standards to ensure the venue meets international cricket requirements.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Mohammad Al Saud said the partnership goes beyond constructing a stadium, describing it as a long-term investment in the future of cricket in Saudi Arabia through collaboration, shared ambition and sustainable development.
The project is expected to boost cricket in the Kingdom by strengthening competitions, introducing technical programmes and facilitating the exchange of expertise between the two countries.
The planned stadium will also improve Saudi Arabia’s ability to host major international cricket tournaments and other global sporting events.
Officials said the initiative will contribute to the growth of the Kingdom’s cricket ecosystem by developing local talent and supporting the training of players, coaches and match officials.
Saudi Arabia issues foreign workers a final deadline
In a separate development, Saudi Arabia issued a final deadline for employers to regularise the status of foreign workers.
The country warned that employees with work permits expired for more than three months will be automatically removed from official records after June 30.
According to the Saudi Gazette, the Qiwa platform, operating under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said the automatic removal process will begin from July 1 for expatriate workers whose work permits have remained unrenewed for over three months.
The platform also urged employers to renew their employees’ work permits or complete the procedures to transfer their services to another employer before the June 30 deadline.
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