Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

Location and background

The stadium is located about 15 km east of Kandy on the A26 highway. The stadium is wholly owned by Sri Lanka Cricket and has a capacity of 35,000.

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, 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. Pallekele is also the host for the Kandurata cricket team.

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

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is the planned venue for seven matches during the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup to be held in February 2026. India and Sri Lanka will co-host the event. Out of seven, four games will be of the Group Stage (Group B) while three will be of the Super8 stage.

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.
• 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.
• Shaun Marsh and Mike Hussey added 258 runs for the 4th wicket, the highest fourth wicket partnership in Sri Lanka vs Australia test matches.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Pallekele has witnessed 3 Twenty20 International centuries, the most at any venue - Dilshan (104), McCullum (123) and Maxwell (145).
• 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).
• 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.
• On 9 February 2024, Pathum Nissanka made an unbeaten 210 runs, becoming first Sri Lankan to score a double hundred in ODI history.

Statistics and records

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. A total of three matches were played at the venue during the 2011 World Cup.

| Attendance: | Attendance:

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

;Super 8s

File:Sri Lanka Cricket Team Practicing.jpg|The Sri Lankan cricket team practising File:Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.JPG|The stadium under lights File:Pallekele 1.JPG|During the 106th Dharmaraja–Kingswood Cricket Encounter File:Pallekele 2.JPG|Main pavilion File:Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (4).JPG|Practice sessions before the match between Sri Lanka and India

Notes

References

References

1. Siddhartha Talya. (30 November 2010). "Pallekele awaits its Test debut". ESPN Cricinfo.
2. Siddarth Ravindran. (23 August 2010). "Pallekele readies itself for the big day". ESPN Cricinfo.
3. Cyril Wimalasurendre. (27 July 2010). "Pallekele Stadium to be named after Muralitharan". ISLAND CRICKET.
4. Sheringham, Sam. "Cricket World Cup: Ross Taylor blitz sets up NZ victory". BBC News.
5. [http://www.cricinfo.com/wc2011/content/story/434469.html?CMP=OTC-RSS How Sri Lanka's World Cup venues were chosen] Cricinfo. Retrieved on 6 June 2010
6. [http://www.cricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2011/content/story/448121.html ICC happy with the state of progress of Sri Lanka venues] Cricinfo. Retrieved on 6 June 2010
7. [http://www.cricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2011/content/story/439378.html Sri Lanka World Cup venues on track – ICC] Cricinfo. Retrieved on 6 June 2010
8. "England to start ICC World Twenty20 title defence against qualifier".
9. (25 November 2025). "Pallekele Stadium to host seven T20 World Cup 2026 matches".
10. [http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/505135.htm Dilshan, Tharanga take Sri Lanka into quarterfinals, collect: 26 August 2012]
11. (7 December 2010). "A score of 2 for 3, and a Wessels family double".
12. "m.smh.com".
13. (6 August 2011). "Dilshan's T20i century at Pallekele". [[ESPNcricinfo]].
14. Daniel Brettig. (30 July 2016). "Australia stumped, yet again". ESPN Cricinfo.
15. "Sandakan creates history as left-arm spinners take stage". ESPNcricinfo.
16. (6 September 2016). "Australia set new record, Maxwell misses out on one". ESPNcricinfo.
17. "Malinga's fifth hat-trick and 100 T20I wickets". ESPNcricinfo.
18. "200 In Just 136 Balls: Pathum Nissanka Breaks 24-Year-Old Record Held By Sanath Jayasuriya".