Sri Lanka has produced some legendary cricketers like Muthiah Muralidaran, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Sanath Jayasuriya, to name a few.
These cricketers have graced the field with their dazzling performances, with many of them coming at Sri Lanka’s iconic cricket stadiums. The island nation situated south of India boasts some famous cricket stadiums.
So, in this article, we’ll look at the top 5 cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka.
1. Galle International Cricket Stadium
The Galle International Cricket Stadium is one of the most popular cricketing venues around the globe. The Galle Fort stands tall at one end, while the Indian Ocean surrounds the stadium from two sides.
What a setting to play cricket, isn’t it?
The cricket stadium, first established as a race course, hosted its first international match in 1998 — a Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. As of 2023, the ground has a spectator capacity of 35,000.
2. R. Premadasa Stadium
One of the most prominent venues in the Sri Lankan cricket circuit, R. Premadasa, has hosted some memorable matches. The stadium is a living witness to the highest team total ever recorded in the Test format — 952/6d by Sri Lanka vs India.
R. Premadasa hosted its first international game, an ODI match, between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in 1986. Moreover, the stadium has been host to many ICC tournament matches across the 1996 and 2011 ODI World Cups and the 2012 T20 World Cup.
3. Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Sri Lanka was the co-host of the 2011 World Cup, so they decided to build a new cricket stadium in Pallekele, Kandy. The 35,000-seater stadium was thrown open in 2009, with the ground hosting its first international match a year later.
The Pallekele Stadium played host to many matches in the 2011 World Cup and 2012 T20 World Cup. And the ground continues to host some big teams for international matches.
4. Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium
Apart from the Pallekele Stadium, Sri Lanka built the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium before the 2011 World Cup. The other reason for establishing this ground was to put the city of Hambantota on the cricketing map.
Despite being a modern facility, the stadium hasn’t hosted a single Test match as of 2023. However, the stadium has been host to some notable limited-overs games.
5. Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
The Rangiri Stadium, situated in Dambulla, is another spectacular venue surrounded by greenery and a reservoir. The stadium was established in 2000 in the central province, which is a dry zone.
That was one of the main reasons to have the stadium in that region, as it receives less rainfall as compared to the top 3 venues. The stadium, with a capacity of 16,800, hosted its first international match (ODI) between Sri Lanka and England in 2001.
Notable Mentions
Apart from these above stadiums, there have been other illustrious stadiums that have been part of Sri Lankan cricket history.
P. Sara Oval, situated in Colombo, hosted Sri Lanka’s first Test on their home soil back in 1982. Asgiriya Stadium, one of the oldest in the country, became the second venue to host a Test match.
Colombo has been sprawled with 2 of the country’s eminent grounds — the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) Ground and the Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) Cricket Ground. The CCC hosted its first match in 1984, while the SSC hosted its first game in 1982, with the latter still being an active venue.
One Comment