The size of the cricket fields has a significant impact on the success of the players. The type of pitch or outfield determines whether the game will be low or high scoring.
Short fields normally favor batsmen since they have a better chance of setting new records and etching their names in history. Longer grounds, on the other hand, benefit bowlers more since batsmen, in addition to timing, require force to clear the fence, whereas shorter grounds allow even muscled shots to clear the fence easily.
Let’s take a look at the world’s smallest cricket stadiums by boundary.
New Zealand’s Eden Park
Eden Park in New Zealand has the smallest boundary of any cricket pitch. The venue is located in central Auckland and has the world’s shortest cricket stadium, with a straight boundary distance of 55 meters and a square boundary distance of around 64 meters. The cricket stadium was built in 1900 and has held 153 international matches to date.
Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium
Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, has the world’s second-smallest border. It was erected in 1956 and has a ground area of only 65 meters for a straight boundary. So far, the stadium has hosted 106 international matches.
England’s Lord’s Cricket Ground
The ‘Mecca of Cricket’, Lord’s Cricket Ground, is also one of the shortest cricket grounds in the world due to its shortest square border of roughly 65 meters. The stadium, which was built in 1814, has hosted many historic matches. So far, the ‘home of cricket’ has hosted 219 games.
Kolkataâs Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, is one of the world’s shortest cricket stadiums by boundary. The square perimeter of the earth measures around 66 meters. The stadium was built in 1864. Notably, the stadium hosted Rohit Sharma’s 264-run ODI inning. The stadium has hosted 79 international matches so far.
Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium
The Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, has the world’s fifth shortest boundary. The dimensions of the ground are approximately 68 meters towards the straight boundary and approximately 56 meters towards the square boundary. In 2011, Virender Sehwag scored 219 from 149 balls on this ground. So far, the stadium has hosted nine international matches.
It is crucial to note that, while the above statistics show the boundary size in meters, the actual size on matchday may vary depending on pitch usage, boundary modification, and advertising. Furthermore, due to a lack of publicly available data on the boundary sizes of all cricket stadiums worldwide, only the most well-known stadiums have been evaluated.
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