Asia Cup 2023 will witness a total of 13 games. Four different venues in Pakistan and Sri Lanka are going to host the entire event. Pallekele International Stadium will host 3 games of the tournament. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will meet at this Sri Lankan venue on August 31. Meanwhile, fans are eager to know key stats such as Pallekele International Cricket Stadium pitch report, records, and the last ODI match scorecard at the venue. You have landed at the right place if you are looking for the facts and information about Pallekele Cricket Ground.
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium has a seating capacity of 35,000 which makes it the joint-largest venue in Sri Lanka. Team India will play both of their group matches here including the high-voltage clash against Pakistan. We can expect a packed stadium during all 3 Asia Cup matches here.
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium ODI Records
Pallekele is hosting ODI games since 2011. So far, it has hosted 36 one-day international games, 3 out of which were women’s ODIs. The last 50-over game at the venue was played in November 2022 between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
- Total ODI matches played: 36
- Matches won by the team batting first: 15
- Matches won by the team batting second: 20
- Highest team score while batting first: South Africa – 363/7 (50) vs Sri Lanka, 2018
- Lowest score while batting first: Sri Lanka – 135/8 (42) vs Pakistan, 2012
- Biggest total chased: Sri Lanka chased 313 vs Afghanistan, in 2022
- Lowest Score Defended: West Indies defended 206 vs Sri Lanka in 2010
- Pallekele Cricket Stadium average 1st innings score in ODI: 250
- Pallekele Stadium average 2nd innings total in ODI: 202
- Best bowling figures for a spinner: Akila Dananjaya (SL) – 6/54 vs India, 2017
- Best bowling figures for a pacer: Mitchell Johnson (AUS) – 6/31  vs SL, 2011
- Highest score by a batsman: Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) – 162(138) vs SL, 2022
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
Recently, the pitch at Pallekele has remained good for batting. In the most recent ODI series which was played last November, two 290+ scores were posted by the batting first side. The opening batter of the Afghanistan side Ibrahim Zadran scored two hundred in the series which suggests that how good of a wicket it is for the top order batters.
However, bowlers will also have an equal chance of performing. The Pallekele pitch is hard and dry, so with the new ball, batters can shine but as the ball gets old they may have to put extra effort playing their strokes. Spinners will find assistance from the surface which will make their role crucial in the middle overs.
In Pallekele pitch, chasing sides have tasted the success more often. So, it won’t be surprising if a team decides to bowl first here. A score of 280 can be considered a fightable total at the venue.
ALSO READ: Pallekele Weather 2nd September 2023: Clouds hover over India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Last Match Scorecard
As mentioned earlier, last match here was played between Sri Lanka and Afghnaistan in November 2022. Afghanistan posted 313 on the board with opener Ibrahim Zadran scoring 162. But the hosts chased the target with two balls left to bowl.
| Afghanistan : 313 – 8 (50) | Sri Lanka : 314-6 (49.4) |
| Ibrahim Zadran : 162(138) | Andy Balbirnie : 60(37) |
| Najibullah Zadran : 77(76) | Paul Stirling : 40(18) |
| Rahmat Shah : 20(30) | Harry Tector : 39(28) |
| Kusan Rajitha : 10 – 0 – 60 – 3 | Rashid Khan : 10 – 0 – 37 – 4 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga : 10 – 0 – 67 – 2 | Mohammad Nabi : 10 – 0 – 56 – 2 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva : 8 – 0 – 42 – 1 |
