Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Sinhala: පල්ලෙකැලේ ජාත්‍යන්තර ක්‍රිකට් ක්‍රීඩාංගනය, Tamil: பல்லேகல சர்வதேச கிரிக்கெட் மைதானம்) is a cricket stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The stadium opened on 27 November 2009 and became the world's 104th Test venue in December 2010.^[1]

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

Ground information
Location	Pallekele, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Coordinates	7°16′49″N 80°43′20″E
Establishment	27 November 2009
Capacity	35,000
Owner	Sri Lanka Cricket
End names
Hunnasgiriya End Rikillagaskada End
International information
First Test	1–5 December 2010:  Sri Lanka v  West Indies
Last Test	29 April–3 May 2021:  Sri Lanka v  Bangladesh
First ODI	8 March 2011:  New Zealand v  Pakistan
Last ODI	26 October 2024:  Sri Lanka v  West Indies
First T20I	6 August 2011:  Sri Lanka v  Australia
Last T20I	30 July 2024:  Sri Lanka v  India
First WODI	1 July 2022:  Sri Lanka v  India
Last WODI	7 July 2022:  Sri Lanka v  India
Team information
Sri Lanka national cricket team (2010 – present) Kandy Falcons (2020 – present)
As of 26 October 2024 Source: Cricinfo

Location and background

The stadium is located about 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) east of Kandy on the A26 highway. The stadium is wholly owned by Sri Lanka Cricket and has a capacity of 35,000.^[2]

History

The stadium was built for the 2011 Cricket World Cup along with Hambantota International Cricket Stadium. In July 2010, The Central Provincial Council in Kandy announced plans to rename the stadium to honour the legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan,^[3] but hasn't officially done so yet. The first Test match on this stadium between Sri Lanka and the West Indies was played from 1 to 5 December 2010. The first One Day International match at the venue was played between New Zealand and Pakistan on 8 March 2011.^[4] Pallekele is also the host for the Kandurata cricket team.^[5][6][7]

On 21 September 2011, it was announced that the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium would host nine 2012 ICC World Twenty20 matches.^[8]

Notable events

• Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga added a 282-run partnership for the first wicket against Zimbabwe on 26 March 2011. This is the highest partnership for the first wicket in a Cricket World Cup match.^[9]
• By dismissing Chris Gayle of West Indies, Sri Lanka's Suranga Lakmal became the third bowler to take a wicket with the first ball bowled in a Test match at a new venue, joining Kapil Dev of India and Imran Khan of Pakistan.^[10]
• Shaun Marsh and Mike Hussey added 258 runs for the 4th wicket, the highest fourth wicket partnership in Sri Lanka vs Australia test matches.^[11]
• Tillakaratne Dilshan scored a Twenty20 International century against Australia, becoming the second Sri Lankan to score centuries in all formats. This is the highest individual innings by a Sri Lankan in T20Is, and made Dilshan the first ever cricketer to score centuries in all formats as a captain.^[12]
• While attempting to bat time for a draw on the fifth day, the ninth and tenth-wicket partnerships featuring Steve O'Keefe, Peter Nevill and Josh Hazlewood (Aus) faced a Test cricket record 25.4 consecutive overs without scoring a run.^[13]
• Bowling figures of 7/107 by Lakshan Sandakan in the match is the best by a slow left-arm wrist-spin bowler on Test debut.^[14]
• Pallekele has witnessed 3 Twenty20 International centuries, most at any venue - Dilshan (104), McCullum (123) and Maxwell (145).^[15]
• On 7 September 2016, Australia recorded the Highest Twenty20 International total ever by scoring 263/3 against Sri Lanka, who previously held the record (260/6).^[15]
• On 6 September 2019 against New Zealand, Lasith Malinga took four-in-four wickets in T20Is. It was his second four-in-four in international formats. He also took his 100th wicket in T20Is in the same match, becoming the first cricketer to take 100 wickets in all three formats.^[16]
• On 9 February 2024, Pathum Nissanka made an unbeaten 210 runs, becoming first Sri Lankan to score a double hundred in ODI history.^[17]

Statistics and records

As of 19 August 2024

Match statistics Format Played Won by Drawn/ No result/ Tied First match Last match Sri Lanka Visitors Neutral team Test matches 9 2 3 – 4 1–5 December 2010 29 April–3 May 2021 One-Day Internationals 39 19 15 3 [a] 2 8 March 2011 14 February 2024 Twenty20 Internationals 26 9 8 5 [b] 4 6 August 2011 30 July 2024 Women's One-Day Internationals 3 – 3 – – 1 July 2022 7 July 2022

Source: ESPNcricinfo – Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

2011 Cricket World Cup

Main article: 2011 Cricket World Cup

The following 2011 Cricket World Cup matches were played in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The first official international match was between Pakistan and New Zealand on 8 March 2011.^[4] A total of three matches were played at the venue during the 2011 World Cup.

8 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard

Pakistan  192/10 (41.4 overs)	v	New Zealand 302/7 (50 overs)
Abdul Razzaq 62 (74) Tim Southee 3/25 (8 overs)		Ross Taylor 131* (124) Umar Gul 3/32 (10 overs)

New Zealand won by 110 runs Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka Umpires: Daryl Harper and Nigel Llong Player of the match: Ross Taylor (NZ)

• New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first.

10 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard

Sri Lanka  327/6 (50 overs)	v	Zimbabwe 188/10 (39 overs)
Tillakaratne Dilshan 144 (131) Chris Mpofu 4/62 (7 overs)		Brendan Taylor 80 (72) Tillakaratne Dilshan 4/4 (3 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 139 runs Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka Umpires: Marais Erasmus and Nigel Llong Player of the match: Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri)

• Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to ball first.

14 March 2011 (D/N) Scorecard

Zimbabwe  151/10 (39.4 overs)	v	Pakistan 164/3 (34.1 /38 overs)
Craig Ervine 52 (82) Umar Gul 3/36 (7.4 overs)		Asad Shafiq * 78 (97) Ray Price 2/21 (8 overs)

Pakistan won by 7 wickets (D/L). Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka Umpires: Tony Hill and Nigel Llong Player of the match: Umar Gul (Pak)

• Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first.

2012 ICC World Twenty20

Main article: 2012 ICC World Twenty20

Sri Lanka hosted the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. Nine matches were played in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Group matches

21 September 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

New Zealand  191/3 (20 overs)	v	Bangladesh 132/8 (20 overs)
Brendon McCullum 123 (58) Abdur Razzaq 2/28 (4 overs)		Nasir Hossain 50 (39) Tim Southee 3/16 (4 overs)

New Zealand won by 59 runs Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Nigel Llong (Eng) Player of the match: Brendon McCullum (New Zealand)

• Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field

23 September 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

Pakistan  177/6 (20 overs)	v	New Zealand 164/9 (20 overs)
Nasir Jamshed 56 (35) Tim Southee 2/31 (4 overs)		Rob Nicol 33 (28) Saeed Ajmal 4/30 (4 overs)

Pakistan won by 13 runs Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Bruce Oxenford (Aus) Player of the match: Nasir Jamshed (Pakistan)

• Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat

25 September 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

Bangladesh  175/6 (20 overs)	v	Pakistan 178/2 (18.4 overs)
Shakib Al Hasan 84 (54) Yasir Arafat 3/25 (3 overs)		Imran Nazir 72 (36) Abul Hasan 2/33 (3 overs)

Pakistan won by 8 wickets Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Steve Davis (Aus) and Ian Gould (Eng) Player of the match: Imran Nazir (Pakistan)

• Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat

Super 8s

27 September 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

New Zealand  174/7 (20 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 174/6 (20 overs)
Rob Nicol 58 (30) Akila Dananjaya 2/32 (4 overs)		Tillakaratne Dilshan 76 (53) James Franklin 2/34 (4 overs)

Match tied;  Sri Lanka won the Super Over Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Simon Taufel (Aus) Player of the match: Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL)

• New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat

27 September 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

West Indies  179/5 (20 overs)	v	England 164/4 (20 overs)
Johnson Charles 84 (56) Stuart Broad 2/26 (4 overs)		Eoin Morgan 71* (36) Ravi Rampaul 2/37 (4 overs)

West Indiess won by 15 runs Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pak) and Steve Davis (Aus) Player of the match: Johnson Charles (WI)

• West Indies won the toss and elected to bat

29 September 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

New Zealand  148/6 (20 overs)	v	England 149/4 (18.5 overs)
James Franklin 50 (33) Steven Finn 3/16 (4 overs)		Luke Wright 76 (43) Daniel Vettori 1/20 (4 overs)

England won by 6 wickets Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pak) and Simon Taufel (Aus) Player of the match: Luke Wright (Eng)

• New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat

29 September 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

West Indies  129/5 (20 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 130/1 (15.2 overs)
Marlon Samuels 50 (35) Nuwan Kulasekara 2/12 (4.0 overs)		Mahela Jayawardene 65* (49) Ravi Rampaul 1/39 (4 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Steve Davis (Aus) Player of the match: Mahela Jayawardene (SL)

• West Indies won the toss and elected to bat

1 October 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

West Indies  139 (19.3 overs)	v	New Zealand 139/7 (20 overs)
Chris Gayle 30 (14) Tim Southee 3/21 (4 overs)		Ross Taylor 62* (40) Sunil Narine 3/20 (4 overs)

Match Tied;  West Indies won the super over Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak) and Asad Rauf (Pak) Player of the match: Sunil Narine (WI)

• New Zealand won the toss and elected to field

1 October 2012 (D/N) Scorecard

Sri Lanka  169/6 (20 overs)	v	England 150/9 (20 overs)
Mahela Jayawardene 42 (38) Stuart Broad 3/32 (4 overs)		Samit Patel 67 (48) Lasith Malinga 5/31 (4 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 19 runs Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka Umpires: Steve Davis (Aus) and Simon Taufel (Aus) Player of the match: Lasith Malinga (SL)

• England won the toss and elected to field

• 
  The Sri Lankan cricket team practising
• 
  The stadium under lights
• 
  During the 106th Dharmaraja–Kingswood Cricket Encounter
• 
  Main pavilion
• 
  Practice sessions before the match between Sri Lanka and India

See also

• List of international cricket grounds in Sri Lanka

Notes

1. ODIs of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and Asia Cup 2023
2. T20Is of the ICC World Twenty20 2012