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The World’s Top 10 Cricket Stadiums
Cricket will be the world’s second-most-watched sport in 2022. Throughout the year, all three of its formats provide competitive and interesting cricket. With such a large fan base, the location is an important aspect of seeing the best cricket action.
Stadiums are compared depending on their spectator capacity.
The 10 largest cricket stadiums in the world are listed below.
Each stadium has its own distinct features, history, and atmosphere.
As a result, continue with us as we discover the top ten best cricket venues in the globe.
10. Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium is situated in Dharamshala, India.
- 23,000 capacity
- Year of establishment: 2003
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) is the top cricket stadium’s youngest member.
The stadium hosts IPL games for Kings XI Punjab and Ranji Trophy games for the Himachal Pradesh cricket team.
Soon after its inception, HPCA became a popular destination.
As a result, it was restored and enlarged to 23,000 seats later in 2009.
The stadium’s most magnificent feature is the background of the Dhauladhar and other Himalayan ranges.
However, this is simply one of the reasons why HPCA is one of the top cricket stadiums in the world.
Furthermore, the stadium has small-sized stands and an open vista, providing supporters with a great view.
Similarly, the stadium’s spaciousness helps seam bowlers to benefit from wind assistance.
HPCA is India’s first stadium to include winter ryegrass in the field to prevent grasses from dying in the winter when temperatures drop below 10 °C.
Certainly, the final two IND vs. SL T20Is in 2022 will be played at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association or Cricket Stadium in the laps of the Dhauladhars.
These two T20Is were played at the venue on the 26th and 27th of February.
9. Manchester, England is the location of the Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
- 26,000 capacity
- The 1857 year of establishment
Since 2013, the stadium has been known as Emirates Old Trafford due to a sponsorship agreement with the Emirates airline.
It is the home of the Lancashire county cricket club in domestic cricket.
It is England’s second oldest Test ground, after the Oval, and has a long history of Test cricket.
Similarly, Old Trafford has hosted the most World Cup matches (17) and semi-finals (5).
Old Trafford’s distinctive features are what distinguishes it as one of the best cricket stadiums.
The domestic cricket stadium has a capacity of 19,000 people, although it can accommodate up to 26,000 people during international games.
The stadium also hosts live concerts on occasion, and its seating capacity has been extended to 50,000.
The stadium’s most notable feature is the £12 million Hilton Garden hotel, which opened in 2017 and has 68 rooms.
Similarly, half of the rooms feature a balcony with a view of the pitch.
Several of those rooms are converted into hospitality boxes on match days.
Concerts at Emirates Old Trafford, Emirates Old Trafford staged a fantastic concert season in 2022.
They hosted four enormous concerts in only ten days, featuring Harry Styles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Killers.
8. Western Australian Cricket Association Venue: Perth, Australia
- 20,000 capacity
- The 1890 year of establishment
The Western Australian Cricket Association Ground (WACA) is considered Western Australia’s cricket home.
It’s also a sports stadium. However, the WACA is best known as a cricket venue.
Aside from being one of the top cricket venues, it is also known for having the fastest and most bouncy pitch in the world.
Furthermore, the combination of afternoon sea winds and pitches has made WACA a popular venue for fast and swing bowlers.
WACA ground redevelopment began in 2021 and is expected to be finished by 2023.
The proposals are anticipated to cost $75 million.
WACA also has a cricket museum near the stadium.
Other sports, in addition to Australian cricket memorabilia, are featured in WACA.
As a positive step for the 2022 Western Australian Cricket Association Pitch
A $115 million project to renovate the east Perth cricket ground is underway, with an all-abilities playground included in the architectural plan.
7. Kensington Oval is located in Barbados, West Indies.
- 28,000 capacity
- The 1871 year of establishment
Kensington Oval in Barbados is undoubtedly the most popular and best cricket ground in the Caribbean.
Other sports facilities are available at the venue, but it is well known for its cricketing activities.
The stadium was closed in 2004 to make way for the construction of a new stadium.
More importantly, the stadium has a long history. It was the first stadium to host an England touring team in 1895.
Similarly, it was the first stadium to host the West Indies’ inaugural test match, and Andrew Sandham hit the first test triple-century there.
Kensington Oval has already held two World Cup finals: the Cricket World Cup in 2007 and the ICC T-20 World Cup in 2010.
The stadium also has a wide grassy area where fans can picnic while watching games.
A big TV screen and a pool-like space are also available for fans to relax while watching the game.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced the opening of the box office at Kensington
Oval for the inaugural series, which comprised two consecutive weekends of back-to-back T20Is beginning on Saturday, January 22, and continuing on Sunday, January 30 in 2022.
6. Sydney Cricket Ground is located in Sydney, Australia.
- 48,601 capacity
- The 1848 year of establishment
Sydney Cricket Ground (SGC) is one of the world’s oldest and most prominent cricket stadiums.
SGC is home to the New South Wales Blue and Sydney Sixers in domestic cricket.
The stadium also hosts cricket, rugby, soccer, and Australian football matches.
With a seating capacity of 48,601, SGC is Australia’s fifth-largest athletic arena.
The green-roofed Ladies Pavillion, erected in 1896, is one of the most well-known sights in world cricket.
Similarly, The Hill and Paddington Hill are two spectacular mounds on the opposite side of the Brewongle stand and the original Members stand.
There are numerous cricketing opportunities on the ground.
Sir Donald Bradman set a First-Class world record of 452 runs at the SCG.
Later, in 1994, Brian Lara set a record with a 501 on that same ground.
In 2019, Australia achieved a new record by winning 1,000 international matches at the SCG.
They defeated India in the one-day international match.
Fixtures for 2022
2022 | |||
Sat Oct 22 (20 ovs) 18:00 local | 07:00 GMT 12:45 +0545 |
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 13th Match, Group 1 – Australia v New Zealand |
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Thu Oct 27 (20 ovs) 14:00 local | 03:00 GMT 08:45 +0545 |
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 22nd Match, Group 2 – Bangladesh v South Africa |
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Thu Oct 27 (20 ovs) 18:00 local | 07:00 GMT 12:45 +0545 |
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 23rd Match, Group 2 – India v TBC |
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Sat Oct 29 (20 ovs) 19:00 local | 08:00 GMT 13:45 +0545 |
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 27th Match, Group 1 – New Zealand v TBC |
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Thu Nov 3 (20 ovs) 19:00 local | 08:00 GMT 13:45 +0545 |
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 36th Match, Group 2 – Pakistan v South Africa |
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Sat Nov 5 (20 ovs) 19:00 local | 08:00 GMT 13:45 +0545 |
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 39th Match, Group 1 – England v TBC |
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Wed Nov 9 (20 ovs) 19:00 local | 08:00 GMT 13:45 +0545 |
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 1st Semi-Final – TBC v TBC |
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Sat Nov 19 (50 ovs) | ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League 2nd ODI – Australia v England |
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Tue Nov 22 – Fri Nov 25 10:30 local | 23:30 GMT 05:15 +0545 |
Sheffield Shield Round 5 – New South Wales v Western Australia |
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Thu Dec 22 (20 ovs) 19:15 local | 08:15 GMT 14:00 +0545 |
Big Bash League Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes |
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Mon Dec 26 (20 ovs) 18:05 local | 07:05 GMT 12:50 +0545 |
Big Bash League Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Stars |
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Wed Dec 28 (20 ovs) 19:15 local | 08:15 GMT 14:00 +0545 |
Big Bash League Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades |
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5. The Imperial Wanderers Stadium
Johannesburg, South Africa is the location.
Capacity: 34,000 Years in operation: 1956
Because of its bull ring-style construction and frightening environment for visiting teams, the Imperial Wanders Stadium gained the nickname Bullring.
The high stands take up most of the stadium, however, a few tiny grassed sections are popular with spectators.
Imperial Wanders Stadium, with a seating capacity of 34,000, was erected in 1956 to replace Old Wanderers Stadium.
A major fire broke out in the stadium clubhouse in October 2004.
They later destroyed the pavilion as well as several priceless historical artefacts.
The Wanderers have a long history of notable moments in international cricket. South Africa, for example, chased down the ODI world record 434 runs against Australia in Wanderers in 2006.
On the same venue, AB de Villers scored the quickest ODI fifty (50 runs off 16 balls) and the fastest T20I fifty (50 runs off 21 balls).
Similarly, Mike Atherton batted for approximately 10 hours to save England’s Test in 1995.
The Wanderers’ pitch is unique in that it is beneficial to both batsmen and bowlers.
Statistics and records | 2022
South Africa v England – Dec 24-29, 1956 | Scorecard | |
South Africa v India – Jan 3-6, 2022 | Scorecard | |
Test records | Results | High totals | High scores | Most runs | Best bowling | Most wickets | Partnerships | Statsguru | ||
South Africa v India – Dec 13, 1992 | Scorecard | |
South Africa v Bangladesh – Mar 20, 2022 | Scorecard | |
ODI records | Results | High totals | High scores | Most runs | Best bowling | Most wickets | Partnerships | Statsgur |
4. Eden Gardens
- Kolkata, India is the location.
- Capacity: 80,000
- Years in operation: 1864
Eden Gardens, the home of Indian cricket and the country’s oldest cricket stadium, comes next on our list of the finest cricket venues in the world.
Eden Garden is India’s second-largest cricket stadium and the world’s third-largest.
It has a total seating capacity of 80,000 people.
It is the home of Bengal in the Ranji Trophy and the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
Eden Gardens became the first stadium outside of England to host the Cricket World Cup Final in 1987.
Furthermore, the stadium has already hosted six ICC World Cup matches as well as five ICC IT20 World Cup events.
Eden Garden is well-known for its massive, boisterous, and active followers.
As a result, former Australian captain Steve Waugh dubbed Eden Gardens the “Lords of the Subcontinent.”
Eden Garden installed a bell similar to the Lords in 2016. Since then, the bell has been rung to signal the start of each match.
The second edition of the Legends League Cricket will begin in 2022 at Eden Gardens.
According to the organizers, the first game of the second edition of the Legends League Cricket (LLC) will be played on September 16 at Kolkata’s renowned Eden Gardens.
3. The Rectangular
- London, England is the location.
- 27500 capacity
- The 1845-year of establishment
Surrey County Cricket Club has called the Oval home since its inception in 1845.
It is, however, the site where England’s test history began.
It was the first English stadium to hold international test cricket matches in 1980.
The Ashes were born two years later, in 1982, after the first test match was played at the famous stadium.
Aside from cricket, The Oval has seen some famous football moments.
Oval held the world’s first international football match in 1970.
The match between England and their longtime rival Scotland resulted in a 1-1 tie.
Similarly, from 1872 to 1892, the Oval hosted the FA CUP finals, the world’s oldest football championship.
Aside from its historical history, Oval is also known for providing cutting-edge hospitality to its members and spectators.
The iconic OCS stand includes ‘The Corinthian Roof Terrace,’ which offers a spectacular view of the London skyline.
Similarly, since 2002, it has undergone numerous modern improvements to ensure that both fans and players may experience the best cricketing action.
2. Melbourne Cricket Ground is situated in Melbourne, Australia.
- 1,000,000 capacity
- The 1853 year of establishment
List of Australian National Heritage sites The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is a sporting venue known colloquially as “The G.”
With a total seat capacity of 1,00,024, the G is the world’s second-largest cricket stadium and the ninth-largest sports arena.
It is also known as the birthplace of test cricket (1877) and one-day international (ODI) cricket (1971).
Both matches were won by Australia against England.
It served as the main stadium for the Summer Olympics in 1956 and the Commonwealth Games in 2006.
The MCG also hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1992 and 2015.
Every year on Boxing Day, the MCG comes alive.
Aside from cricket, the MCG has also held other significant athletic events.
Furthermore, the stadium hosted the AFL Grand Final in 2019, which eventually became the most-attended league championship match.
The MCG also houses the Australian Sports Museum. It is a must-see attraction for anybody visiting Melbourne.
It houses the history of the Melbourne Cricket Ground as well as over 3,500 historical artifacts from 95 different sports.
1. Lords
- London, England is the location.
- 31100 capacity
- The 1814-year of establishment
The Home of Cricket, The Lords, is ranked first on our list of the top cricket stadiums.
It is the world’s oldest cricket venue, having been built in 1814 and named after Thomas Lord, the owner and founder of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Despite multiple improvements, Lords continues to have a distinct place in the cricketing world.
Many cricketers still hope to play a Test match at Lord’s at some time in their careers.
The Lords has hosted the most ICC Cricket World Cup finals of any stadium.
It hosted the championships in 1975, 1979, 1983, 1999, and 2019.
Lords is the best cricket stadium because of its many distinct and legendary features.
Lord’s most distinguishing feature is its Victorian-era pavilion made of bricks and an elaborate terracotta front.
Similarly, Lords is the first venue to open the match by ringing the bell.
Another well-known Lord’s ritual is the Long Room, where players walk out to enter the field.
Only MCC members and special guests are permitted to enter the room, which is decorated with artwork of legendary cricketers.
It boasts a one-of-a-kind honor board that displays the names of players who have scored 100 runs or taken five wickets in an innings or ten wickets in a match there.
Lords is home to the MCC Museum, the world’s oldest sports museum.
It houses a collection of historic cricket artifacts, including The Ashes urn.
Aside from its cricketing heritage, Lords is well-known for its sloping outfield.
The northwest section of the field is 2.5m higher than the southeast section, influencing the game and making the ground stand out.
MEN’S INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES AT LORD’S IN 2022 England vs. New Zealand (LV= Insurance Test Match), Thursday 2 – Monday 6 June
Thursday, July 14, England vs. India (Royal London One-Day International).
England vs. South Africa (LV= Insurance Test Match), Wednesday 17th – Sunday 21st of May