Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is one of the most beautiful cricket stadiums. It is situated in Kandy, a city in the Central Province State of Sri Lanka, which is famous for its panoramic views and natural beauty. The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was established on November 27, 2009, for the 2011 ODI World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka with India and Bangladesh.
The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is also known as Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium, although the name has yet to be officially announced. Pallekele is one of the largest cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka, with a capacity of 35,000. The shortest boundary at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is just 65 meters long, while the longest boundary at this stadium measures 74 meters. Initially, Pallekele did not have floodlights, but they were installed in 2010. Asitha Wijesinghe is the current pitch curator at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
An Overview of the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
| Venue Name | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| Also Known as | Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium |
| Established | 27 November 2009 |
| Location | Pallekele, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| Seating Capacity | 35,000 |
| Shortest Boundary Distance | 65 meters |
| Longest Boundary Distance | 74 meters |
| Bowling Ends | Hunnasgiriya End, Rikillagaskada End |
| Flood Lights | Yes |
| Curator | Asitha Wijesinghe |
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Dimensions
The playing area at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is 80 m long and 75 m wide, meaning the stadium’s total playing area will be 6000 meters.
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at Pallekele Cricket Stadium is a balanced surface that favors both batters and bowlers. Fast bowlers get some early swing from the surface thanks to the freshness of the wicket. But after fading away the shine of the new ball, batters find it easy to score runs. The pitch started to slow down as the match progressed, which brought spinners into the game. Due to the slow pitch, spinners dominate the rest of the game at this stadium.
Also Read: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Pitch Report || Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium Pitch Report
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Photos
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Location
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Stats & Records
These stats and records are available from Pallekele International Cricket Stadium:
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Test Stats & Records
There are a total of 9 test matches played at Pallekele Cricket Stadium, four of which are won by the batting-first team, while one match goes in favor of the team that chooses to bowl first.
| Total Matches | 9 |
| Matches won batting first | 4 |
| Matches won bowling first | 1 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 323 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 317 |
| Average 3rd innings Score | 273 |
| Average 4th innings Score | 241 |
| Highest total recorded | 648/8 (179 Ovs) By SL vs BAN |
| Lowest total recorded | 117/10 (34.2 Ovs) By SL vs AUS |
| Highest score chased | 382/3 (103.1 Ovs) By PAK vs SL |
| Lowest score defended | 161/10 (88.3 Ovs) By AUS vs SL |
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium ODI Stats & Records
Pallekele Cricket Stadium has hosted 42 ODI matches so far, of which 17 were won by the batting first team and 23 by the bowling first team.
| Total Matches | 42 |
| Matches won batting first | 17 |
| Matches won bowling first | 23 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 253 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 204 |
| Highest total recorded | 381/3 (50 Ovs) By SL vs AFG |
| Lowest total recorded | 70/10 (24.4 Ovs) By ZIM vs SL |
| Highest score chased | 314/6 (49.4 Ovs) By SL vs AFG |
| Lowest score defended | 206/9 (36 Ovs) By WI vs SL |
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium T20 Stats & Records
There are a total of 23 T20I matches that have been played at Pallekele Stadium, 12 of which were won by batting first teams and 8 by bowling first teams.
| Total Matches | 23 |
| Matches won batting first | 12 |
| Matches won bowling first | 8 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 168 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 149 |
| Highest total recorded | 263/3 (20 Ovs) By AUS vs SL |
| Lowest total recorded | 88/10 (16 Ovs) By NZ vs SL |
| Highest score chased | 178/2 (18.4 Ovs) By PAK vs BAN |
| Lowest score defended | 125/8 (20 Ovs) By SL vs NZ |
Read More: Arun Jaitley Stadium Records || Brian Lara Cricket Stadium Records
Sri Lanka Record at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Sri Lanka has played a total of 62 international matches at Pallekele Cricket Stadium and won 30 of them, lost 25, and 7 matches ended in a tie, draw, or without a result.
Sri Lanka Test Record at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Sri Lanka has played 9 test matches in Pallekele and won just two of them, lost three, and four matches ended in a draw.
| Played | 9 |
| Won | 2 |
| Lost | 3 |
| Drawn | 4 |
Sri Lanka ODI Record at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
In 36 ODI matches that Sri Lanka has played at Pallekele Stadium, they have won 19, lost 16, and 1 match ended without a result.
| Played | 36 |
| Won | 19 |
| Lost | 16 |
| Drawn/ No Result | 1 |
Sri Lanka Record T20 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Sri Lanka has played 17 T20I matches at Pallekele and won 9 of them and lost 6, 1 match was tied and 1 ended without any result.
| Played | 17 |
| Won | 9 |
| Lost | 6 |
| Drawn/ No Result | 1 |
| Tied | 1 |
FAQ’s
1. How many seats are in Pallekele Stadium?
Ans: There are 35,00 seats available at Pallekele Cricket Stadium for spectators.
2. Which country is in Pallekele cricket stadium?
Ans: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is situated in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
3. Is Pallekele International Cricket Stadium good or bad?
Ans: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is a superb ground for a live match experience. This stadium has all the amenities that fans need during a match.
4. In which state is Pallekele?
Ans: Pallekele is in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Pallekele is a suburb of the city of Kandy in the Kandy District of the Central Province of Sri Lanka.
5. What is the history of Pallekele stadium?
Ans: Pallekele Cricket Stadium was established in 2009. It is one of Sri Lanka’s newest cricket stadiums. It was constructed to take the place of Asgiriya Stadium, which held Test matches between 1983 and 2007. Pallekele Stadium was specially built to host the 2011 ODI Cricket World Cup matches. This stadium also hosted the 2012 T20 World Cup matches.
6. Which airport is closest to Pallekele Stadium?
Ans: Kandy Airport is the nearest airport to Pallekele, which is 7.7 km away from this stadium.
7. Is Pallekele stadium a batting or bowling pitch?
Ans: The pitch at Pallekele Cricket Stadium offers initial swing for fast bowlers due to a fresh wicket, facilitating scoring for batters once the ball loses shine, while spinners gain traction as the match progresses on a slow surface.
8. How much did Pallekele International Cricket Stadium cost?
Ans: The Hambantota and Pallekele International Cricket Stadiums were built together during Sri Lanka’s preparation for the 2011 ODI World Cup, and these stadiums combined cost Sri Lanka almost US$ 11.79 million.
9. What is the pitch report for Pallekele stadium?
Ans: Pallekele Cricket Stadium’s pitch provides early swing for fast bowlers. But later, it becomes easier for batsmen to score runs when the ball loses its shine. Meanwhile, as the game goes on, the surface slows down, giving spinners an advantage over batters.
