Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is an essential contemporary Sri Lankan cricket stadium. Situated between the green hills of Kandy, the stadium hosts T20 matches characterized by highs and lows with lots of points and crucial milestones in the history of the game and major ICC tournament matches.Ever since its opening in 2009, Pallekele has been an important part of the international cricket calendar of Sri Lanka, hosting Tests, ODIs, T20Is, Women internationals and World Cups as well as domestic leagues such as the Lanka Premier League (LPL).
This article will provide an overview of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, its history, facilities, and international matches, records, pitch behavior, weather conditions, of the stadium, key tournaments, travel, and sightseeing in and around Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Overview
The authorities created Pallekele International Cricket Stadium with the main aim of hosting the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup to increase the number of international stadiums in Sri Lanka instead of just Colombo. Sri Lanka Cricket fully owns the stadium, and it meets the international standards for drainage, floodlights, and spectators. It turned out to be the 104th Test venue of Sri Lanka in 2010 and thus, it has gained a reputation of evenly baked wickets, exciting evening games, and solid spectators.
| Feature | Details |
| Official Name | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| Location | Pallekele, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| Established | 27 November 2009 |
| Capacity | Approx. 35,000 |
| Owner | Sri Lanka Cricket |
| End Names | Hunnasgiriya End, Rikillagaskada End |
| First International Match | ODI – New Zealand vs Pakistan (2011) |
| Test Status Granted | December 2010 |
| Primary Teams | Sri Lanka National Team, Kandy Falcons |
History and Development of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
The stadium was constructed together with the Hambantota International Cricket Stadium as part of the enlargement of the infrastructure in Sri Lanka to be used in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. It was established in the Kandy area to decentralize big cricketing centres not in Colombo but to encourage cricket tourism in the Central Province. Central Provincial Council held a discussion in July 2010 to rename the stadium in the honour of the legendary spinner of Sri Lanka, Muttiah Muralitharan. The stadium is still operating by its initial name. On 15 November 2010, the West Indies toured Sri Lanka and the first Test match was held at Pallekele between the two teams on 15 November 2010. The reputation of the venue increased very fast because of the exciting matches as well as record performances in the various formats.
| Historical Milestone | Year |
| Stadium Inauguration | 2009 |
| First Test Match | 2010 |
| First ODI | 2011 |
| World Cup Hosting | 2011 |
| ICC World T20 Hosting | 2012 |
International Match History
Since its opening, the stadium has been a regular host to international cricket in all the major formats such as men and women. It has been particularly eminent in limited-overs form of cricket because of its batting-friendly nature, and nocturnal air.
| Format | First Match | Latest Match |
| Test | SL vs WI (2010) | SL vs BAN (2021) |
| ODI | NZ vs PAK (2011) | SL vs BAN (2025) |
| T20I | SL vs AUS (2011) | SL vs BAN (2025) |
| Women’s ODI | SL vs IND (2022) | SL vs IND (2022) |
Match Statistics Summary
| Format | Matches Played | Key Outcome Trend |
| Tests | 9 | Balanced results |
| ODIs | 39 | Chasing slightly favored |
| T20Is | 26 | High-scoring matches |
| Women’s ODIs | 3 | Even contests |
Records and Milestones at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Pallekeele has seen a number of batting milestones in history such as the first Sri Lankan ODI double century and some of the greatest T20I individual scores ever recorded at a single venue.
| Format | Player | Score | Opponent | Year |
| ODI | Pathum Nissanka | 210* | Afghanistan | 2024 |
| T20I | Glenn Maxwell | 145* | Sri Lanka | 2016 |
| T20I | Brendon McCullum | 123 | Bangladesh | 2012 |
| T20I | Tillakaratne Dilshan | 104 | Australia | 2011 |
| Test | Younis Khan | 171* | Sri Lanka | 2014 |
Bowling Records
The venue is equally famous for exceptional bowling feats, ranging from rare hat-trick-like spells to record-breaking debut performances.
| Format | Player | Achievement | Year |
| T20I | Lasith Malinga | Four wickets in four balls | 2019 |
| Test | Lakshan Sandakan | 7/107 on debut | 2017 |
| Test | Suranga Lakmal | Wicket with first ball at venue | 2010 |
| Test | Mitchell Johnson | 6/31 | 2011 |
Highest Team Totals
| Format | Team | Score | Year |
| T20I | Australia | 263/3 | 2016 |
| ODI | Sri Lanka | 381/3 | 2024 |
ICC Tournament Matches
| Tournament | Matches Hosted | Year |
| ICC Cricket World Cup | 3 | 2011 |
| ICC World Twenty20 | 9 | 2012 |
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Characteristics
Pallekele pitch is usually balanced and provides initial support to seamers and grows to be more batting-friendly as the games move forward. In limited-overs games, dew has a significant influence in night games, and in most instances, it has played in favor of the second batting team.
| Format | Average First Innings Score | Nature |
| Test | ~323 | Balanced |
| ODI | 242–280 | Batting-friendly |
| T20I | 160–170 | High-scoring |
Recent ODI Results at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
The last five ODIs underline a trend of close contests and successful chases, with Sri Lanka asserting home dominance despite one washout.
| Date | Match | Result | Margin | Match ID |
| Nov 19, 2024 | Sri Lanka vs New Zealand | No Result | Rain | ODI #4809 |
| Nov 17, 2024 | Sri Lanka vs New Zealand | Sri Lanka won | 3 wickets | ODI #4808 |
| Oct 26, 2024 | Sri Lanka vs West Indies | West Indies won | 8 wickets | ODI #4786 |
| Oct 23, 2024 | Sri Lanka vs West Indies | Sri Lanka won | 5 wickets | ODI #4784 |
| Oct 20, 2024 | Sri Lanka vs West Indies | Sri Lanka won | 5 wickets | ODI #4783 |
Recent T20I Matches at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
The organizers staged the last T20 Internationals in Pallekele in 2024, continuing the long history of the venue known for high-scoring games and late drama. Officials confirmed no international T20Is to take place at the venue in 2025.
| Date | Match | Winner | Notes |
| Jul 30, 2024 | Sri Lanka vs India (est.) | — | Last recorded T20I at venue |
| Earlier (2012–2019) | England vs West Indies | West Indies | Classic World T20 encounter |
Upcoming International Fixtures (2026) at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
The stadium will again become part of the international schedule in early 2026, when T20 cricket is being played in Sri Lanka at its dry season. The matches of England in the tour and ICC Men world cup T20 will be held here.
| Date | Match | Format | Remarks |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Sri Lanka vs England – 1st Match | T20I | Series opener |
| Feb 1, 2026 | Sri Lanka vs England – 2nd Match | T20I | Mid-series game |
| Feb 3, 2026 | Sri Lanka vs England – 3rd Match | T20I | Series finale |
| Feb 12, 2026 | ICC Men’s T20 WC – Group Match | T20 WC | Group stage |
| Feb 16, 2026 | Australia vs Sri Lanka | T20 WC | Major home fixture |
| Feb 20, 2026 | ICC Men’s T20 WC – Super 8 Match | T20 WC | Knockout phase |
IPL and Domestic Hosting Status at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Pallekeele international cricket stadium is not one of the ipl home stadium because Indian premier league is based in India. Although some IPL games of Rajasthan Royals were once temporarily hosted in Sri Lanka in previous seasons (2010-13), none of the franchises claim Pallekele as a permanent base. In Sri Lanka, the Kandy Falcons use the stadium as the home stadium of the Lanka Premier League and regularly attract big crowds as a flagship venue to hold domestic T20 cricket.
| League / Tournament | Hosting Role |
| Indian Premier League | Neutral venue only (past use) |
| Lanka Premier League | Home ground for Kandy Falcons |
| ICC Tournaments | Official international venue |
| Domestic Cricket | Regular host |
Weather Conditions at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
The climate in the stadium is tropical with moderate temperatures and much humidity. During the dry season, the playing conditions are good and during the monsoon months there are intermittent rain breaks.
| Aspect | Details |
| Temperature Range | 23°C – 31°C |
| Humidity | 75–85% |
| Best Months | December – March |
| Rain-prone Period | October – November |
Domestic and Franchise Cricket
Pallekele is also a large domestic domestic ground and Lanka premier league ground. It forms also a major venue of school and provincial cricket of the Central Province of Sri Lanka.
| Competition | Role |
| Lanka Premier League | Home venue for Kandy Falcons |
| Domestic First-Class | Regular host |
| School Cricket | Major annual encounters |
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Nearby Attractions
| Attraction | Distance from Stadium |
| Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic | ~15 km |
| Kandy Lake | ~15 km |
| Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya | ~8 km |
| Udawattekele Sanctuary | ~15 km |
Conclusion
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium has become one of the best cricket grounds in Sri Lanka. Its state-of-the-art facilities, record-breaking games, equal opportunities and location close to cultural sites all make the stadium an essential part of the international cricket and sport tourism. Since historic landmarks and electrifying T20 matches, Pallekele is still shaping the future of the Sri Lankan cricket, and at the same time provides the fans with the memorable match-day experience.
FAQs
Pallekele International cricket stadium is in Pallekele, which is 15 kilometers east of Kandy, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.
They officially opened it on 27 November 2009, and it became an international venue shortly afterwards.
The stadium can seat about 35,000 audience.
Matches were also held in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2012 ICC World Twenty20.
The best known achievement is the record 210 by a Sri Lankan ODI in 2024 of Pathum Nissanka, the first double century in the history of ODI cricket in Sri Lanka.
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