The stadium was established in 1986 and is one of the crucial venues for the Sri Lankan Cricket. The stadium is also known as the “Home of Sri Lankan Cricket“.

Ground Information

R Premadasa Cricket Stadium Layout | Khettarama Stadium Layout | Map

Also Read

International Information

History of R Premadasa Cricket Stadium

Ranasinghe Premadasa late Sri Lankan president had an idea of opening a 40,000-seater cricket stadium. He supported the development of the stadium which would be the largest cricket stadium in Sri Lanka. The stadium was built on a wetland that monks used to ferry across to the nearby Khettarama temple.

The Inaugural match played on this ground was on 9 March 1986 an ODI match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan team.

An inaugural test match on this ground was hosted between Sri Lanka and Australia on 28 August 1992.

The stadium was referred to as the Khettarama Cricket Stadium until 1994.

The stadium has hosted over 100 ODI matches and is also famous for setting the world record for the highest Test total in a match between Sri Lanka vs India where the home team Sri Lanka declared for a massive 952/6 runs against the visitors India in 1997/98. Former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama scored 340 and 225 respectively. The pair stitched a partnership of 576 runs for the second wicket.

Khettarama Stadium was the first to host a T20I match in Sri Lanka, the match was between Sri Lanka and India played on 10 February 2009.

Renovation of R Premadasa Cricket Stadium | Khettarama Stadium Renovation

R Premadasa Stadium was chosen as one of the venues to host the 2011 Cricket World Cup. The stadium was to host seven World Cup matches including quarter-final and semi-final matches.

The stadium underwent major renovations in 2009 to host the 2011 Cricket World Cup. The seating capacity of the stadium was increased from 14,000 to 40,000 with four new major stands. New media boxes were built which had the capacity to accommodate 200 journalists, refurbished dressing rooms, VIP car parking, and other upgrades costing $8 million (80 Lakhs INR).

R Premadas Stadium Pitch Report

R Premadasa Pitch report suggests the pitch at Khettarama Stadium is slow also the outfield is slow with short boundaries. The pitch at R Premadasa Stadium favors the Spinners. As the game progresses the pitch starts to slow down and spinners become more lethal and start to capitalize on the opportunity.

Apart from that the pitch is also good for batting. The team winning the toss will preferably choose to bat first and score runs initially. Sri Lankan legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has spelled his magic on this surface. The pitch has nothing to offer for the seamers and the pacers get no assist from the pitch here.

Cricket World Cup Matches at R Premadasa Stadium Colombo

The Premadasa Stadium has hosted 8 World Cup matches to date one in the 1996 Cricket World Cup and seven in the 2011 Cricket World Cup including the high voltage quarter-final and semi-final.

1996 ICC Cricket World Cup

• Sri Lanka vs Australia

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

• Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
• Kenya vs Sri Lanka
• Pakistan vs Canada
• Sri Lanka vs Australia
• Australia vs Pakistan
• England vs Sri Lanka (Quarter-Finals)
• New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (Semi-Finals)

Also Read

R Premadasa Cricket Stadium Location | Khettarama Stadium Location

R Premadasa Cricket Stadium is located at the following address

 Khettarama Temple Rd, Colombo 01000, Sri Lanka

FAQ

Multan Stadium is the second largest cricket ground in Pakistan after the Karachi Stadium. Multan Stadium has a seating capacity of 35,000 fans.

The Stadium has well-maintained lush green grass and a good well-maintained pitch which makes it one of the most beautiful venues in the country to host a match.

The stadium is located on the outskirts of Multan on Vehari Road in Gulshan-e-Yousuf, Punjab, Pakistan.

Ground Information

Multan Cricket Stadium Layout

International Information

Multan Stadium Ground Dimensions

The ground is basically circular in shape. The Multan Cricket Stadium Boundary Length ranges from around 60-80 meters. The boundary is however adjusted depending upon the type of cricket match being played.

History of Multan Cricket Stadium

The Multan Cricket Stadium was built as a replacement to the Old Fort Stadium which is also known as Ibe-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium which had an overall seating capacity of about 18,000 seats.

Ibe-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium was established in 1975 also a multi-purpose stadium which had hosted only three Cricket matches. The first match played at Ibe-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium was a test match between Pakistan and West Indies, the second match was between Pakistan and India in 1982 and the last match to witness on this ground was between Pakistan and Australia in 1994.

Ibe-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium is still used to host various sports events but the stadium does not qualify for the ICC standards and cannot host an international match, hence there was a need for a new Stadium to hold international matches.

The Pakistan Cricket Board established Multan Stadium in 2001. The first test match at Multan Cricket Stadium was played for the Asian Test Championship between Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2001.

The Multan Cricket Stadium also hosted the remarkable test match between the arch-rivals Pakistan and India in 2004 where Virendra Sehwag scored a record triple century 309 and gave the visitors a comfortable win over Pakistan.

Renovation of Multan Cricket Stadium

The stadium was renovated later and Floodlights were installed to facilitate Day/ Night games, the first Day/Night game hosted by this stadium was between the arch-rivals Pakistan and India on 16^th February 2006.

Further in 2018 Pakistan Cricket Board announced the Multan Cricket Stadium along with several other venues will undergo a makeover to make it suitable for further international fixtures and Pakistan Super League.

The Grass was re-laid on the outfield, new media enclosures were established to further improve the experience of the stadium.

Return to International Cricket

After almost a decade the PCB made efforts and was successful to bring international cricket to their country. Pakistan Cricket Board Invited Zimbabwe to play a series in Pakistan in 2020. Multan was one of the venues for the Zimbabwe tour. Pakistani cricket fans witnessed cricket on this ground after a period of 12 years.

Multan Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

The Multan Cricket Stadium pitch is traditionally a flat track with good bounce. The pitch does not offer much for the bowlers and also there is no swing to assist the bowlers. The wicket is batting-friendly And the batsmen love to bat on such kind of tracks. Once the batsman is set and judges the bounce of the track he can easily score runs.

Ticket Price of Multan Cricket Stadium

Since International Cricket is returning to Multan after almost a decade the ticket prices here are priced taking into consideration the budget so that cricket fans from all classes can come and enjoy the match from the stadium. The average ticket price range starts from 700 and the highest-selling ticket costs around 5000. These are the average ticket prices and the price may vary depending upon the type of match and the tournament.

Multan Cricket Stadium Location

The address of the Multan Cricket Stadium is as follows

Stadium Road & Vehari Road, Gulshane Yousaf, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

FAQ

MA Chidambaram Stadium is the second oldest cricket stadium in India after the Eden Gardens of Kolkata. The stadium was established in 1916 and was formerly known as Madras Cricket Club Ground. The stadium was later named after Muthiah Annamalai Chidambaram former head of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and former president of BCCI.

It is the home ground for the Tamil Nadu State cricket team and Chennai Super Kings for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Ground Information

International Match Information

History of MA Chidambaram Cricket Stadium | Chepauk Stadium History

MA Chidambaram Stadium is located across the famous Chepauk Palace which was the official residence of the Nawab of Arcot from 1768 to 1855. The current Stadium site was a part of the palace ground.

The Chepauk Palace was later acquired by the Madras Presidency in an auction for a winning bid of ₹589,000 in the year 1859. The permission to build a pavilion on the palace ground was granted to the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) by the state government and the pavilion was ready in 1866.

Chepauk Stadium was established in 1916 and is the second oldest cricket stadium in the country after Eden Gardens still conducting international matches to date. Bombay Gymkhana is the first but is not currently used for international matches.

Renovation of MA Chidambaram Cricket Stadium | Chepauk Stadium Renovation

In June 2010 eyeing the 2011 Cricket World Cup reconstruction work of the stadium was planned with a budget planning of ₹175 crore.

Hopkins Architects, London, and Nataraj & Venkat Architects, Chennai were approached and contracted by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association for the renovation work which included the construction of three new concrete reinforced stands designated I, J, and, K which were planned to accommodate 12,000 seats and 24 hospitality boxes with translucent light PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) membrane roofs which are non-wetting, high density and resistant to high temperature.

The stands were designed at a gradient of 36 deg to let the sea breeze into the ground to get the ground’s traditional swing back. The renovation work was completed in 2011 and the old roofing pillars which often disturbed the viewers by blocking their view were replaced by the lightweight quad conical roofing held by cables.

Three Stands of Chepauk Closed & Re-opened | MA Chidambaram Stadium Stand Controversy

After the 2011 World Cup, the three newly constructed stands I, J, and K were sealed and not used due to a legal issue.

On 31^st March 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that the parts of the newly renovated violated the regulations related to public safety and that the parts of the stadium that violated the regulations must be demolished and proper planning and permissions to be sought from the municipal authorities and until then the stands I, J, and K will be sealed for the spectators.

 In December 2021, the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) gymnasium was demolished to create an 8-meter setback space between K-stands and MCC Clubhouse.

On March 17 2023 after the completion of the demolition work, the stands were reopened under the authorities which have a seating capacity of total 12,000 seats with each stand having a max capacity of 4,000. After a long time, the Chepauk Stadium will be available 100% for the public.

Cheapuk Stadium Lease Contract

There is also an issue of the land of the Chepauk stadium. The total area of the stadium spread under 7,52,000 sq ft is under a lease agreement between the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the State Government.

In 2015 the tenure for the lease was lapsed and the TNCA did not receive any notification from the government to renew the contract.

However, after a meeting between Srinivasan and Palaniswamy, the association in 2019 got the lease contract extended for 21 years from 2015.

MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai Pitch Report | Chepauk Stadium Pitch Report

The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium is unique and a notable feature of the ground. The pitch here is basically dry and hard. Here we can hardly see grass on this track making it a heaven for spinners.

On this pitch, it is easy to bat at the first innings but as the match progresses the pitch here starts to erode and spinners will get even more help making it more difficult for the batsmen to time their shots.

In Test and ODI cricket the pitch starts to develop cracks due to the footmarks of the bowlers and as the game progresses the pitch erodes making it a spinner’s paradise. Hence the team winning the toss here will most probably choose to bat first and set a target and defend.

Cricket World Cup Matches at MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai

The stadium has been part of three editions of the Cricket World Cup namely in 1987, 1996, and 2011.

The Stadium hosted 2matches in the 1987 Cricket World Cup and just one match in the 1996 Edition. In the 2011 World Cup, the stadium hosted a total of 4 matches making the overall World Cup matches count on this stadium to 7.

The list of World Cup Matches hosted in this stadium is as follows.

1987 ICC Cricket World Cup

• Australia vs India
• Australia vs Zimbabwe

1996 ICC Cricket World Cup

• New Zealand vs Australia

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

• Kenya vs New Zealand
• England vs South Africa
• England vs West Indies
• India vs West Indies

In addition to this, the stadium also hosted a semi-final match in the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup.

1997 WOMEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP

• New Zealand vs England

Also Read

The Roaring Crowds of Chepauk

One of the unique features of this ground is the crowd. The fans fill the stand creating an electrifying atmosphere in the stadium which brings unparalleled energy into the players and makes the experience unforgettable for the players as well as the spectators.

The crowd here has a sporting spirit irrespective of the home team. Saeed Anwar was given a standing ovation by the fans here for his outstanding 194 in 1997 which is the highest score on this ground and also the highest ODI score then, just imagine the home crowd appreciating the efforts of the rival team player it just lifts the spirit of the game.

Another instance happens to be the first test match between India and Pakistan in 1999 where Pakistan defeated India in a thriller test and the fans gave a standing ovation to the Pakistan team for their outstanding efforts to pull off a win, overwhelming Pakistan even took a lap of honour. It remains an iconic moment in the history of cricket.

Notable Moments | Memorable Matches at MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai

• The Chepauk stadium witnessed the first match of the historic Ranji Trophy. Madras and Mysore played the first match of the Ranji Trophy at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
• The first-ever test victory for team India came after 24 matches (20 years after they got test playing status by ICC) on this ground while playing against England in 1952
• India vs Australia test match on this ground in 1986 was the second test match in cricket history to end in a draw.
• Don Bradman’s record for most test centuries was broken by Sunil Gavaskar on this ground in 1983, Gavaskar registered his 30^th International Test Hundred on that day surpassing Don Bradman.
• In April 2008 Virendra Sehwag scored 319 of just 278 balls against South Africa at the Chepauk Stadium which is the fastest triple century in test history and also the highest Individual score by an Indian in Test Cricket history.
• Rahul Dravid the wall of Indian Cricket reached a milestone of 10,000 test runs at the Chepauk stadium in the same match where Sehwag registered 319 against South Africa.
• Sachin the master blaster has scored a total of 876 runs in 9 test matches at the Chepauk Stadium which is his highest among all the venues in India.
• In December 2008 India successfully chased 387 runs in the fourth innings which is the highest test run chase India has successfully pulled off in test matches in India.
• On 24^th February 2013, MS Dhoni scored 224 runs against Australia on this ground and became the first-ever Indian Wicket-Keeper Batsmen to score a double century in Test Cricket and also the 7^th Wicket-Keeper in World Test Cricket to achieve this feat.
• On 19^th December 2016, Karun Nair scored 303* in a test against England on this ground and became the 6th youngest batsman to score 300 plus runs and the 2^nd Indian after Sehwag to do so.
• India declared on 759-7 against England in the same match when Karun Nair scored 300+ runs, this is team India’s highest team total.

Chepauk Stadium Test Stats

Chepauk Stadium ODI Stats

Chepauk Stadium T20I Stats

Chepauk Stadium Weather

MA Chidambaram Stadium Location | How to reach Chepauk Stadium | Accessibility

The Chepauk Stadium is situated near the famous Marina Beach. It takes just a few minutes to reach the stadium from the beach.

The address of the MA Chidambaram Stadium is

No. 1, Bells Road, Chepauk, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600005

Are you worried about how can I get to MA Chidambaram Stadium?

Here are the best possible routes to reach the MA Chidambaram Stadium

Bus stations near MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai

Metro stations near MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai

Railway Station near Cheapuk Stadium

MA Chidambaram Stadium Official Website

www.tnca.cricket

FAQ

Named after the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi this stadium is a world-class cricket facility which is an iconic landmark in the city. The stadium has made a place in the hearts of millions of cricket fans worldwide.

The stadium has very well seating arrangements with different categories to favor various cricket fan’s budgets. It has an overall seating capacity of  55,000 with premium corporate boxes and general stands which offers every fan an unobstructed view.

Ground Information

The Layout of the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

International Information

The History of the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium History

Hyderabad Cricket Association used to use the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in the Fateh Maidan Sports Complex as their home ground. The Lal Bahadur Shastri Ground belonged to the Sports Authority of Telangana State and the Hyderabad Cricket Association did not have a free operating hand over this ground.

The ground was also comparatively smaller in size and hence a lot of runs were scored on this ground. This ground was later known as a high-scoring ground and it was not preferred for most of the international matches in India.

In 2003, Hyderabad Cricket Association submitted a proposal for a new stadium to N. Chandrababu Naidu the Chief Minister of Andr Pradesh during that time. The proposal was accepted and a large piece of land spread across 16 acres at Uppal was allocated to the stadium to HCA.

It became the 101^st venue for Test Cricket in the whole world.

Stadium Name Controversy | Visaka International Cricket Stadium

An open auction for the stadium’s title was held from which most of the funding for the stadium was planned. Visaka Industries Limited (VIL) an industrial conglomerate that has an interest in various fields such as yarn, solar roofs, cement roofing, and others won the auction for ₹65,00,00,000 (₹6.5 crores).

According to the contract between HCA and VIL, HCA signed a 25-year agreement with the VIL to sponsor the construction of an International Cricket Stadium at Uppal with rights to the stadium name ‘Visaka International Cricket Stadium’ and other advertising rights and privileges.

An advance payment of ₹43,00,00,000 (₹4.3 crores) was made in 2004 and the Stadium was named Visaka International Cricket Stadium.

When most of the stadium’s work was completed in 2005, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh decided to rename the stadium as ‘Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium’ in memory of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

HCA wrote a letter to VIL on the renegotiation to name the stadium Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Both parties agreed and the renaming of the stadium was done by mutual understanding the contract was changed and according to the new contract the stadium would be named Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium and the playing ground would be named “Visaka Cricket Grounds“, sponsorship amount was reduced to ₹4.3 crores from ₹6.5 crores and other rights and privileges were to remain same according to the VIL.

The Pitch at Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium Hyderabad Pitch Report

The pitch at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium is generally flat and considered a batting-friendly pitch. This pitch offers even uniform bounce and helps both the batsmen and the bowlers equally.

Initially, the pitch is batting friendly, and due to the short boundaries, the batsmen can play their shots easily and clear the boundary rope with ease but as the game progresses the pitch becomes slower and the batsmen will have to be careful while selecting their shots.

In the second Innings the spinners and medium pacers will come into play and variation in pace can be a lethal weapon here on this pitch. Batting becomes more challenging as the game progresses especially in the second innings with quality spinners in front.

Due to dry weather, there is no due factor, teams generally prefer batting first and setting a huge target that can be defended.

The pitch at Rajiv Gandhi Intranational Stadium Hyderabad favors the team with batting power.

Also Read

The Facilities of the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

It is one of the significant cricket venues in India and the surface here is considered as one of the best in India. With its State-of-the-Art Facility, well-maintained pitch constantly offering good bounce, and well-maintained grassy outfields it is one of the best venues to look out for in India.

It is a state-of-the-art facility that has entertainment zones, food courts, merchandise stalls, floodlights, and a top-quality audio system that is used to host various events apart from Cricket.

To keep up with the evolving needs of the sport plans are underway to enhance the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium. HCA also aims to develop a cricket academy and training facility within the stadium premises to nature and promote young talent at a grassroots level.

Also, the stadium’s contribution to the economy and tourism of Hyderabad is significant. It has helped to boost the local hospitality industry and create various employment opportunities and bring revenue to the local business.

How to Get to the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium Location | Accessibility

The address of Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is

Stadium Rd, Habsiguda, Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007

Bus stations near Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium

Metro stations near Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium

Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium Official Website

www.hycricket.in/stadium

FAQ

This iconic stadium has world-class facilities with an overall seating capacity of 68,000

Eden Garden is known for its electrifying atmosphere during matches where cricket fans from all over the world come to watch their team in action.

Eden Garden is also referred to with many names, it is called the “ Mecca of Indian Cricket”.  Former Aussie Captain Steve Waugh considers the Eden Gardens as the “ Lords of the subcontinent “.

Ground Information

Eden Garden Kolkata Stadium Map

History of Eden Gardens Kolkata

The Eden Garden was originally a park for the Royals, it was established In 1842. Originally it was called the Auckland Circus Garden.

George Eden who was popularly known as Earl of Auckland or Lord Auckland was appointed as the Governor General of India in 1834.

Auckland came to India with his two sisters Emily and Fanny Eden. Both the sisters were uncomfortable with the hot and humid climate of India hence they decide to come up with a garden.

As per the British archives “Baboo Rajchunder Doss, husband of Rani Rashmoni gifted the land towards the south of Baboo Ghat to Eden Family. The Eden family had helped them to save their third daughter from a deadly disease.

The two sisters decided to make some changes to this landscape and make it pleasing. They set up lawns, flower gardens, fountains, and palm trees. Soon a lot of attractions were added to the park such as boating, a bandstand where a band regularly performed for the evening visitors, the garden was illuminated with electric lights way before electricity was commonly available.

Auckland himself could not enjoy the park for long, after an unbelievable loss in the Anglo-Afghan war the East India Company’s board directors decided to send Auckland back.

After the exit of Lord Auckland from India the park was renamed Eden Gardens.

In 1825 the Calcutta Cricket Club got a plot to be used as a cricket ground. In 1841, permission was granted to the club to enclose the ground with a fence. In 1864 considering the stadium as a recreation zone in the Eden Gardens with cricket as a part of that the legacy of the oldest cricket ground began.

International Information

Renovation of Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium Kolkata

To keep up with the changing time Eden Gardens has undergone several renovations and changes/upgrades. The floodlights were equipped in the stadium in 1993 to facilitate day-night matches.

In 1987, for the World Cup the stadium’s capacity was increased from 40,000 to 1,00,000 this was a major change where 42 new columns were added to provide support for the multi-tiered covered stand and the roof.

Eden Gardens underwent renovation in 2011 to meet the standards set by ICC for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. The upgrades include a new clubhouse, player’s facilities, a new and improved roof structure, signage, and upgrading the exterior walls to give the stadium a brand new look. Following this upgrade, the stadium capacity was reduced to 68,000.

ICC withdrew India vs England match from the Eden Gardens scheduled on 27 February 2011 due to the unsafe conditions arising from the incomplete renovation of the stadium. India vs England match was played in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium Bangalore.

The remaining schedule of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup in Eden Gardens was played according to the schedule. This stadium witnesses the lowest ticket-purchasing crowd in its record history with only 15 spectators having brought a ticket for the Kenya vs Zimbabwe match in the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Also Read

Eden Garden Kolkata Pitch Report

The pitch at Eden Gardens is known to be batting-friendly. However, the batsmen have to be careful initially as there is some grass left on the pitch which will assist the pacers.

In test cricket, the team winning the toss will probably choose to bowl first due to some grass left on the pitch which will initially help the pacers. As the game progresses the track becomes easier to bat on and on the fourth and fifth days due to the foot marks of the bowlers, the ball starts to turn sharply and will be difficult to bat on the fifth day.

World Cup Matches at Eden Gardens Kolkata

Eden Gardens has a rich history of cricket and has hosted a total of 14 Cricket World Cup Matches across all formats of men’s and women’s cricket.

A total of  6 Cricket World Cup matches were witnessed on this ground 1987 (2), 1996 (1), 2011 (3).

The stadium has also hosted 2 Women’s Cricket World Cup matches and one Women’s T20I match.

The stadium has to date hosted 4 finals (1987 Cricket World Cup, 2016 T20I, 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup, and 2016 Women’s T20I).

1987 ICC Cricket World Cup

• Zimbabwe vs New Zealand
• Australia vs England

1996 ICC Cricket World Cup

• Sri Lanka vs India

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

• South Africa vs Ireland
• Netherlands vs Ireland
• Zimbabwe vs Kenya

2016 ICC World T20

• Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka
• Pakistan vs Bangladesh
• Pakistan vs India
• New Zealand vs Bangladesh
• England vs West Indies

1978 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup

• India vs England

1997 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup

• New Zealand vs Australia

2016 ICC Women’s World Twenty20

• Australia vs West Indies

Memorable Matches at Eden Gardens Kolkata

India vs South Africa – 1993 Hero Cup Semifinal.

This is team India’s one of most famous victories from the 1990s in limited-overs cricket. The Indian team defeated just 195 against South Africa and progressed to the finals of the Hero Cup. This is one of the matches where Sachin did not contribute with the bat but he ensured victory for India with the ball.

India won the toss and choose to bat but the Indian top order completely collapsed Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin came to the rescue and almost scored half of the team’s total. Azharuddin scored 90 runs from 118 balls, and Pravin Amre scored 48 of 90 balls to take the team’s total to 195 runs.

With just 196 runs needed South Africa was racing towards victory with 106/3 at one stage. Suddenly the South African team lost their next four wickets in quick sessions by adding just 39 more runs to the scoreboard. In the end, the match came down to the last over with six needed and two wickets in hand.

Skipper Azhar surprised everyone in the last over by handing over the ball to Sachin instead of Manoj Prabhakar and Javagal Shrinath who had 2 overs left. Sachin did not disappoint the Indian fans and bowled a tight over in which he conceded just 3 runs. India had managed to pull out a victory by 2 runs from nowhere.

India vs Australia – 2001 Test

During India vs Australia Test series in 2001, India lost the first match and was under immense pressure as they were asked to follow on.

But what followed was a masterpiece from VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. The duo batted throughout the fourth day and were involved in a triple-century stand.

Laxman registered the then-highest individual test score for an Indian batsman. He was just 19 runs short of a triple century (281 runs). Dravid made a classic 180 in this match and a target of 384 on the final day of the test was set for the Australians.

Chasing a target of 212 Australia started well with 106/1. Suddenly the Australian batting lineup collapsed for 212 all-out. Harbhajan Singh took a total of 13 wickets in this test match including a hat-trick in the first innings. This victory is remembered as India’s greatest Test Win.

It was only the third time in the history of Test Cricket that a team managed to win despite follow-on.

India vs Sri Lanka – 2014 ODI

This is one of the most one-sided and one-man show matches but will be remembered in history for a long time. It was a match where the highest score from an individual in ODI cricket was registered. In this match Rohit Sharma scored 264 runs from 173 balls this is the highest individual score in ODI cricket.

Rohit initially was struggling in this match and was dropped while he was at 4 runs from 16 balls, Rohit further went on to score 264. Rohit’s 264 includes 33 fours and 9 sixes with a strike rate of 152. Rohit became the first and only batsman to register two double-hundreds in ODI cricket.

In reply, Sri Lanka started with a scorecard of 48/4 by the 10^th over and the contest was virtually dead. Sri Lanka managed to score 251 runs 13 runs less than Rohit Sharma’s Individual score.

Eden Gardens Kolkata Notable Events

• Brazil football legend Pele played in the Eden Gardens, this happened in 1977 when New York Cosmos played a Football match against Mohun Bagan. Pele was a part of the Cosmos team
• The Stadium hosted the initial matches of the inaugural edition of the Nehru Cup 1982
• Eden Gardens hosted the Nehru Cup in 1984 where Indian Football played against Poland, China, and Argentina.
• Hosted the Cricket World Cup 1987 Final, this was the first ever Cricket World Cup Final hosted outside England.
• During the 1996 World Cup Semi-Finals the match was called off due to crowd disturbances. The match was between India and Sri Lanka and this incident occurred following the Indian Batting Collapse.
• In 1999 during a match between India vs Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar was run out after colliding with Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar. The crowd erupted and rioted as Akhtar impeded Tendulkar. The police then forced the spectators out of the stadium and the match was further continued in front of an empty stadium.
• Kapil Dev registered an ODI hat-trick against Sri Lanka in 1991 at this venue.
• Harbhajan Singh took a hat-trick in Test cricket against Australia in 2000 and became the first-ever Indian to register a hat-trick in Test Cricket.
• During the 2000/01 Border-Gavaskar Trophy VVS Laxman scored 281 runs which is the highest score at this venue in the same match Rahul Dravid scored 180 runs against Australia. The duo batted throughout Day 4 without losing their wickets and registered a 376 runs partnership. Australia went on to lose the match despite giving India a follow-on. This was only the third time in Test Cricket a team had emerged victorious despite a follow-on.
• In 2005 against Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar completed his 10,000-run mark in Test cricket on this ground. Sachin was the second Indian and fifth overall to achieve this mark.
• Rohit Sharma registered the highest-ever score (264 off 173 balls) by a batsman in ODI cricket on this venue against Sri Lanka.
•  This stadium hosted the 200^th home test match of India in 2005
• This stadium hosted the 250^th home test match of India in 2016
• Ravindra Jadeja became the first Indian left-arm spinner to register 150 ODI wickets, he achieved this feat by taking the wicket of Sam Billings on 21 September 2017.
• On 21 September 2017, Kuldeep Yadav registered a hat-trick in an ODI match against Australia. He was the third bowler for India to register an ODI hattrick after Chetan Sharma and Kapil Dev.
• India’s first-ever Day/night test match was hosted at this venue against Bangladesh on November 22, 2019.

Eden Garden Kolkata Stadium Location

Eden Gardens Kolkata Official Website

cricketassociationofbengal.com

Eden Garden Stadium Kolkata FAQ

Formerly known as the Sardar Patel Stadium, On 24th February 2021, the stadium was renamed to Narendra Modi cricket stadium the current Prime Minister of India who was also the president of the Gujarat Cricket Association from 2009 to 2014 and the chief minister of the state from 2001 to 2014.

Located on the banks of the Sabarmati River Narendra Modi stadium is the world’s largest cricket stadium with a seating capacity of 1,32,000. Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium is 30% larger than the world’s second-largest cricket ground the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) located in Victoria, Australia which has a seating capacity of 1,00,024 seats.

Narendra Modi Stadium is double that of Kolkata’s Eden Gardens which has 68,000 seats.

Modi Stadium is 4 times greater than the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, London which has a seating capacity of 30,000.

Ground Information

History of Narendra Modi Stadium

The stadium was formerly known as Gujrat Stadium and was later renamed Sardar Patel Stadium in tribute to India’s first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Before this stadium, the international cricket matches were played at Ahmadabad’s municipal corporation stadium in the Navrangpura area which had the same name as Sardar Patel Stadium.

The Government of Gujarat in 1982 donated a stretch of 100-acre land on the banks of river Sabarmati for the construction of the new stadium. The construction of the new stadium was initiated and within a period of nine months, the construction of the stadium was completed and inaugurated in the year 1982 with a seating capacity of about 49,000. Since then, all the international fixtures of the state are played in this stadium. A test match between India and West Indies on November 12, 1983, was the first International match hosted in this stadium.

International Information

Renovation of Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium

In 2006 the stadium underwent a renovation where the cover stands and flood lights were introduced in the stadium. Three new pitches and also a new outfield was also planned in the renovation program. After the renovation, the capacity of the stadium increased from 49,000 to 54,000. This renovation was planned for the event of the 2006 Champions Trophy and keeping in mind the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

The stadium hosted 5 of the 15 matches of the 2006 Champions Trophy and 3 matches of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup including the Quarterfinal between India and Australia.

Also Read

Reconstruction

Narendra Modi then the President of the Gujarat Cricket Association and Chief Minister of Gujarat proposed to build a new stadium. Shortly after Modi moved to Delhi to become the Prime minister there were reports of minor renovations at the pavilion end however Modi asked the officials to construct a new stadium with a vision of the World’s largest Cricket Ground instead of minor renovations.

In 2015 the demolition work of the stadium was started and tenders for the construction of the new stadium were issued on 1 January 2016. A total of nine bidders showed interest and purchased the tender documents. Out of the nine only 3 submitted technical and financial bids on time.

A nine-member Tender Commercial Committee (TCC) was formed to evaluate the three bidders which were Nagarjuna Construction Co. Ltd, Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd, and Larsen & Toubro.

Each of the bidders was asked to submit their Designs, Models, and Technical Details. Taking into consideration multiple parameters like the time frame of completion, resources, efficiency, budget, and ease of implementation the TCC evaluated the three bidders. Financially lowest and Technically Ranked first Larsen & Toubro won the tender for the construction of the World’s Largest Cricket Stadium.

Larsen & Toubro started the construction work of the stadium in December 2016. The estimated cost of the construction was around 700 crores but the final cost was reported around 800 crores.

The stadium was to build the stadium in just 38 months. On 24^th February 2021, President Ram Nath Kovind in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the World’s Largest Cricket Stadium, Narendra Modi Stadium.

Narendra Modi Stadium Construction Details.

For the construction of the World’s Largest Cricket Stadium, global collaboration was necessary. Larsen & Toubro India’s largest construction company collaborated with many countries around the world to bring this masterpiece into reality.

The Narendra Modi Stadium was designed by Populous an Australian-based sports architecture company.

Some of the famous works of Populous are Tottenham Hotspur Stadium London, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), and the Warner Stand at Lords Cricket Ground London.

Populous faced many challenges while designing the stadium, they had to provide every one of the 1,32,000 seats unobstructed 360-degree view to ensure the spectators feels like they are a part of what was happening. Populous came up with the idea of bowl design, a bowl design consisting of two large seating tiers. The seating capacity of the lower tier is 55,000 and the upper tier is designed with a seating capacity of 77,000.

One of the complex parts of the project was its roofing, since the stadium is located in a level three seismic zone the roofs should be lightweight.

A roofing expert from America, Walter P Moore was chosen for this task. Walter P Moore has experience in building special types of roofs. Some of the works of Walter P Moore include the AT&T Stadium which has a retractable roof, SoFi Stadium which is known for its translucent roof, and The Astrodome.

In order to develop an economical roofing system and keeping in mind the seismic zone, Walter P Moore decided to corporate a lightweight cable-supported tensile membrane roof. A special lightweight, antibacterial, fireproof PTFE fabric was imported from Japan and the steel cables were brought from Italy.

Walter P Moore also ensured to make the roofing structure should be independent of the concrete bowl in order to make it earthquake resistant.

The stadium does not feature the traditional Floodlights with a tower, instead special LED lights are mounted on the roof of the stadium which is generally referred to as the Ring of Fire.

580 special LED lights from Spain are installed in the stadium with each of 1500 Watts.

Narendra Modi Stadium Design and Facilities.

Narendra Modi Stadium area is spread across 63 acres and has 4 entry points as compared to one in the previous stadium.

The Narendra Modi stadium dimension is 180 yards X 150 yards.

This stadium is the only Cricket Stadium that has 4 dressing rooms with associated facilities which can ensure two back-to-back matches.

It is equipped with 6 indoor practice pitches and 3 outdoor practice fields. It features an indoor Cricket Academy with a dormitory for 40 athletes.

It has 76 corporate boxes each with a seating capacity of 25.

Outside the main ground, it features an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a Badminton and Tennis Court, a Squash arena, table tennis, and a 3D projector theater.

The parking lot here can accommodate 3,000 cars and 10,000 two-wheelers.

Narendra Modi stadium has 66 pop-up sprinklers that are fully automated with moisture sensors that are connected to the nearest weather station with the help of which it calculates depending on the weather how much water to spray.

It features a High-tech Drainage system that can drain 75 mm of rainwater in just 30 minutes this is 3 times more than the required capacity.

Narendra Modi Stadium Boundary Length| Narendra Modi Stadium Six distance

Narendra Modi stadium’s ground size in meters is 165 meters x 138 meters. According to ICC minimum requirement for the Outfield is 17000 Sqm. The boundary size on the front of the square (covers, extra covers, deep mid-wicket areas) is 75-80 meters. The straighter boundaries are also at an average of 75-80 meters. Boundaries on the squares (square leg, deep point) are around 67-74 meters. Behind square (fine leg, long leg, and third man areas) at an average of 60-62 meters.

Narendra Modi Stadium Pitch Report

Narendra Modi Stadium is the only stadium that has a total of 11 pitches. It has one extra pitch than Kolkata’s Eden Garden which has 10 pitches.

Pitch numbers 1-5 are made from local black clay soil, and pitch number 6-11 are made from red silt soil from Mumbai. Black clay soil pitches are usually used for shorter formats and they offer a better bounce. The Red soil pitches are used for longer formats of the game which tend to dry soon and assist spinners or slow bowlers.

Pitch number 4,5,6,7,8 is used for BCCI, International, and IPL matches.

Also Read

Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium Notable Events

• in 1983, Ravi Shastri Played his first Test match on this ground against West Indies.
• Sunil Gavaskar completed 10,000 runs in test cricket on this ground against Pakistan and became the highest run scorer in test cricket.
• Sachin Tendulkar scored his maiden Double Century in Test on this ground.
• In February 1994, Kapil Dev scalped his 432nd wicket in test cricket and surpassed Sir Richard Hadlee’s record. Thus, becoming the highest wicket-taker in test cricket.
• Gautam Gambhir scored his first international century 103 on this ground vs Sri Lanka.
• In the 2011 ICC World Cup, Team India defeated Australia in the quarterfinals and marked a huge win at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
• On 8th Feb 1994, Sagi Lakshmi Venkatapathy Raju gave an outstanding bowling performance by taking 11 wickets against Sri Lanka.
• In 2008, AB de Villiers scored a double-ton against India during the second test of South Africa’s tour to India.
• In 2013, Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman to score 30,000 runs in international cricket at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
• In 2011, In a match against Australia in Cricket World Cup 2011, Sachin Tendulkar became the first ever cricket to score 18,000 runs in ODI.

Location

Official Website: gujaratcricketassociation.com

Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium FAQ

It was formerly known as Ekana International Cricket Stadium and later on 05 November 2018 renamed in honor of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Ground Information

Lucknow Cricket Stadium Map | Ekana Cricket Stadium Map

The Lucknow Cricket Stadium is located at Ekana Sportz City, Sector 7, Amar Shaheed Path, Gomati Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226010.

It is a public-private partnership stadium that follows the guidelines and specifications laid by the ICC and BCCI for hosting an International Cricket Match.

In May 2019, Afghanistan Cricket Board requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to play their matches in this venue. In July 2019, BCCI approved this venue as the third home ground for Afghanistan Cricket Team in India.

International Information

The last time Lucknow city witnessed an international match before this stadium was in January 1994 at the K. D. Singh Babu Stadium.

The stadium witnessed its first international match on 06 November 2018 becoming the 52^nd stadium to host an international match in India, It was a T20 International match between India and West Indies where Rohit Sharma scored a century and became the first cricketer ever to score four centuries in T20I later on India won the match by 71 runs.

Lucknow Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

The Cricket Stadium in Lucknow has 9 Red and black pitches. To date, the Lucknow Cricket Stadium pitch is not much exposed to international cricket. It has witnessed a total of 1 test match, 3 One-Day International, and 4 T20 International matches. With the available small size data, we can say that the pitch is pretty decent and flat which assists the seamers a little bit but the batsmen would love to bat on this kind of pitch.

Also Read

Ekana Cricket Stadium Records

Test Records

ODI Records

T20I Records

Location

Official Website: ekana.com

Ekana Cricket Stadium FAQ

It has 2 turfs namely Ministry Turf 1 and Ministry Turf 2. International Cricket Council gave approval for the Al Amerat Ministry Turf 1 In January 2021, to host Test Cricket.

Al Amerat Cricket Stadium is one of the dedicated venues along with 3 other stadiums in UAE for the T20 World Cup 2021 league stage.

Ground Information

In Oman Cricket in July 2008 announced their plan to construct an international standard facility at Al Amarat south-east of the center of the capital city Muscat about 20 minutes drive away from the middle of the town.

The cost of the project was initially estimated to be 2 million Oman rials around 39,21,03,730 Indian rupees (5.2 million USD). The Ministry of Sports Affairs donated the land and the remaining funds were expected to be raised through corporate sponsorship.

International Information Ministry Turf 1

International Information Ministry Turf 2

Al Amerat Cricket Stadium was inaugurated In October 2012 by the then chief executive of the Asian Cricket Council Ashraful Haque.

Al Amerat Cricket Stadium hosted its first match a club game two months after the inauguration.

In 2015 Floodlights were installed at this venue. Oman Cricket Board later announced its further plans for an indoor cricket academy, construction of the pavilion, an indoor state-of-the-art training facility, and also the headquarters for the Oman Cricket Board. The ground has so far hosted 30 T20Is as well as 4 ODIs as a part of Cricket World Cup League 2.

Al Amerat Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

The Al Amerat Cricket Stadium Pitch is pretty decent and a flat track which assists both the batsmen as well as the bowler, especially the batsmen would love to bat on this pitch as the ball comes good on to the bat.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021

Al Amerat Cricket Stadium will be the host of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 along with the United Arab Emirates.

Following its qualification and confirmation to host the T20 World Cup 2021 the Al Amerat Cricket Stadium turf 1 has undergone numerous major changes such as additional new floodlights, Pavilions. It will expand its seating capacity from 3000 to 4000 with VIP and VVIP seating along with dedicated commentary boxes. The traditional scoreboard is also upgraded to a new digital scoreboard.

The T20 World Cup 2021 will be the first major World Cup event for Oman Cricket Academy Ground.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021 matches scheduled in Oman

Also Read

Al Amerat Cricket Stadium Records

Ministry Turf 1

ODI Records

T20I Records

Ministry Turf 2

ODI Records

T20I Records

Location

Official Website: omancricket.org

Al Amerat Cricket Stadium FAQ

Sheikh Zayed Stadium is one of the three international cricket venues in the country.

The Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium is one of the dedicated venues for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

Ground Information

The stadium was inaugurated by a first-class match of the Intercontinental Cup between Scotland and Kenya in November 2004.

Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Map

This is a newer stadium in the country and was opened in May 2004. The build cost of the stadium is $22 million and it has well-equipped and modern facilities.

The Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium has a capacity of about 20,000 people. It has large stands at either end and the area square of the wicket has grass banks that offer additional seating during the evening or nighttime as there is no shade during the daytime.

This stadium does not have a pavilion but has large changing rooms under one of its stands. The teams playing enjoy the action from inside air-conditioned glass rooms.

International Information

One among the memorable event of the stadium was the Friendship Series between India vs Pakistan in April 2006. This was a charity event where the two rival countries put apart their differences to support the Earthquake victims of Pakistan which took place in 2005.

The Friendship Series was expected to raise $10 million, out of the total money raised 75% will go to Pakistan and the remaining 25% will go to India.

Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

The Sheikh Zayed Pitch is a bit favourable to the Pacers. Here the batsmen at the start find it very difficult to play their shots as the ball sometimes holds on to the surface before coming and sometimes gets delivered by the expected pace. Hence the batsmen try to target the spinners here.

This is a big ground and high-scoring games are very unlikely to happen here. Due here plays a major role in the evening and would be very difficult for the bowlers to grip the ball.

Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Records

Test Records

ODI Records

T20I Records

Location

Official Website: abudhabicricket.ae

Sheikh Zayed Stadium FAQ

Also Read

It is one among the three international cricket facilities in the United Arab Emirates the other two being Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium is one of the dedicated venues for the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.

Ground Information

Sharjah Cricket Stadium History

The stadium was constructed in the year 1980 and was opened in the year 1982, at the time of opening the stadium had a seating capacity of about 16,000 people.

The stadium has undergone numerous improvements from its establishment in 1982 to become the world-class modern facility it is today.

The stadium witnessed regular upgrades with electronic scoreboards, floodlights for day-night cricket, and till 2002 it had a seating capacity of about 27,000.

International Information

The Sharjah Cricket Stadium holds the record for hosting the highest number of ODIs in a venue. Till February 2018 it has hosted 236 ODIs.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium Controversy

The Sharjah Stadium became popular rapidly since its establishment, between 1984 and 2003 the stadium hosted 198 ODIs and 4 tests.

However, in the late 1990s, the match-fixing scandal began to emerge and match-fixing allegations were imposed on this stadium. It became the center of Sir Paul Codon’s investigations. Sharjah’s popularity began to wane although nothing was ever proved, sides started to move away and in 2001 the Indian Government banned the national team from playing at this stadium.

From April 2003 till February 2010 the Sharjah Cricket Stadium hosted no international match however, it became a popular venue for the associates and the associates began to play the game at this venue.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium became the home ground for the Afghanistan Cricket Team for One Day International and First-Class matches in 2010. However, in 2016 Afghanistan changed its home ground to Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground in Noida, India. Sharjah Cricket Stadium is one among the few Test Cricket ground that has hosted a test match without a home country team participant.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

The Sharjah Cricket Stadium Pitch is dry, flat, and harder known to assist the batsmen, as well as the bowlers in some conditions especially the spinners get great help on this pitch for turn and bounce.

Once the batsmen spend some time on the pitch and understand the movement of the ball, they will surely build a high target.

It is observed that in IPL and T20I the teams winning the toss will probably choose bowling first due to the due factor which comes into play at the later stages of the game due to high humidity and moisture content in the stadium region so teams love to chase the target and it has been observed that the winning percentage while chasing in T20 game at this venue is high.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium Boundary Length

The Sharjah Cricket Stadium has boundary length as follows.

It has a 58-meter straight boundary, 62 meters at long-on, and 65 meters at the mid-wicket area.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium Records

Test Records

ODI Records

T20I Records

Location

Official Website: sharjahcricket.ae

Sharjah Stadium FAQ

Also Read