Two Australian stadiums feature in the list of the top 10 biggest cricket stadiums in the world.
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in Australia, throughout Asia and some parts of Europe and Africa. It has grown over the years to rival other top sports like soccer as a global magnet for TV broadcast, with tournaments taking place in different arenas around the world.
Unknown to many, cricket boasts some of the biggest stadiums in sport. In this article, we take a tour of the 10 biggest cricket stadiums in the world in terms of capacity, among other cricket facts you didn’t know.
#1. Motera Cricket Stadium, Gujarat
Also known as Sardar Patel Stadium, the Motera Cricket Stadium boasts an unrivalled capacity of 115,000 fans. It was first constructed in 1982, then with a capacity of 49,000, but was upgraded to the new capacity and inaugurated in February 2020 by the US President Donald Trump.
#2. Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia
Talking of the legendary cricket arenas, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) tops them all. The first test match to took place in March 1877. It has a sitting capacity of 100,024 fans, and remains one of the most iconic grounds in the sport.
#3. Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India
India’s biggest cricket stadium can host 66,349 spectators at a go. It was built in 1864, but it hosted its first cricket match pitting hosts India and England in January 1934. Eden Gardens is also fondly referred as the “Mecca of Indian Cricket”.
#4. Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Constructed only in 2008 with a capacity of 65,000, the first cricket match was played in 2010, a friendly tie between Canada and Chhattisgarh Ranji team. No international match has been played here yet.
#5. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium, Hyderabad, India
This 60,000-seater cricket arena was constructed in 2003 as the home of IPL heavyweights Sunrise Hyderabad. The first international Test match was played here in November 2010, pitting the hosts India and New Zealand.
#6. Greenfield International Stadium, Trivandrum, India
The 55,000-seater Greenfield International Stadium doubles up as a multipurpose stadium where football matches are also played. It was built in 2014, but the first cricket match only took place in November 2017, with India battling New Zealand.
#7. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi, India
Besides cricket, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium also hosts football matches. Constructed in 1996, the arena has a spectator capacity of 55,000. It hosted India versus Australia in a ODI match in April 1998.
#8. DY Patil Sports Stadium, Navi Mumbai, India
Indians are crazy about cricket, but they also play football. This 55,000-seater multipurpose stadium was constructed in 2008, but is yet to host any international cricket match. However, the final IPL matches of 2008 and 2010 took place here.
#9. Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia
Another iconic stadium is the Adelaide Oval, built way back in 1871. With a fan capacity of 53,583, the oval-shaped arena hosted its first international in December 1884, a Test match between Australia and England.
#10. Ekana International Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, India
Built only in 2017, the Ekana arena is one of the newest cricket stadiums in India. No international cricket match has ever taken place here, but the first match was a league match of the Dilip Trophy played in 2018. It has a spectator capacity of 50,000.
