Mahinda Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium

The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, located in the Sooriyawewa region of Sri Lanka, has been a significant contributor to the country’s cricket legacy. Erected under the auspices of the government’s endeavor to enhance the progression of sports in the Southern Province, the stadium expeditiously attained noteworthy recognition as a prime host of worldwide cricket fixtures. The Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium has played host to esteemed tournaments such as the Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20, bearing witness to remarkable displays of sportsmanship and setting notable standards in both the T20 and ODI formats. With the ability to host a vast number of enthusiastic onlookers, this stadium has come to represent the flourishing cricketing proficiency of Sri Lanka.

History

The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, situated in Sooriyawewa, forms an integral part of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. The construction of the stadium formed a constituent element of the government’s strategy to promote the growth of sporting activity within the region and effectuate a shift in Sri Lanka’s major urban centers, away from the pre-existing location of Colombo, toward the city of Hambantota.

The infrastructure of the stadium was erected in preparation for the 2011 Cricket World Cup, where it facilitated the conduction of two matches during the said event. On 20 February 2011, the stadium hosted its inaugural international match, wherein Sri Lanka and Canada competed against each other. Sri Lanka emerged victorious in this encounter, defeating Canada with a margin of 210 runs.

The arena subsequently facilitated a trio of contests throughout the 2012 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 tournament, as well as the launching iteration of the Lanka Premier League in 2020. The individual responsible for the maintenance of the grounds can be identified as Ravi Dissanayake, while the management of the premises falls under the purview of Colonel Shanaka Ratnayake.

T20 records

The Mahinda Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium situated in Sri Lanka has served as a venue for several remarkable T20 cricket matches, thereby engendering a range of commendable records. In the realm of team tallies, the most considerable aggregate score in a T20 International (T20I) encounter hosted at the stadium is recorded at 182/4, a feat accomplished by Sri Lanka over the Zimbabwean national squad in the inaugural match of the T20 World Cup in 2012. The Lanka Premier League (LPL) has set a new benchmark with a collective score of 219 runs, which has been achieved through a shared effort by the Kandy Warriors and Colombo Stars. The findings of the study indicate that the minimum cumulative scores present an alternative narrative, as evidenced by Zimbabwe’s achievement of 93/8 versus South Africa during the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, the lowest total ever recorded in T20Is. Furthermore, the Colombo Stars demonstrated the lowest score in LPL history, tallying a mere 90 runs in December 2022 against the Kandy Falcons.

At the level of individual performance, the most notable scoring achievements are attributed to Faf du Plessis, a player hailing from South Africa, as well as Laurie Evans, who previously played for the Colombo Kings team. Du Plessis achieved a score of 85 runs with 65 balls in a Twenty20 International (T20I) match, whereas Evans presently holds the record for the highest individual score in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) with an undefeated 108. The most notable performances in cricket bowling records include Ajantha Mendis, a Sri Lankan spinner, who boasts the most remarkable T20I figures of 6/8, and Nuwan Thushara, a pacer who achieved 5/13 in the LPL.

In relation to collaborative efforts, the utmost record for T20Is is exemplified by a 112-run association between Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy of South Africa. Within the context of the LPL, the extant record endures as a 156-run partnership, fashioned by Pathum Nissanka and Andre Fletcher of the Kandy Falcons.

ODI Records

The stadium commonly referred to as the Sooriyawewa International Cricket Stadium, more formally identified as the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, is geographically positioned in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. Established in the year 2009, the stadium in question ranks as the second-largest venue in Sri Lanka and is capable of accommodating an impressive crowd of 35,000 individuals. In February 2011, the stadium’s inaugural international match was held between Sri Lanka and Canada, marking the commencement of official international competitions at the venue.

Regarding ODI statistics at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, the most notable achievement is Sri Lanka’s outstanding performance against Pakistan in the fifth game of a five-match series in 2015. Sri Lanka amassed a total of 368 runs for the loss of only four wickets and went on to secure a decisive victory of 165 runs. The most diminutive collective score ever recorded on this specific terrain in One Day International matches materialized during the 2011 World Cup tournament, when Kenya was dismissed comprehensively for a paltry 112 runs by their formidable opponents Pakistan.

Kumar Sangakkara, a legendary Sri Lankan cricketer, is noted for having achieved the highest score in one day international (ODI) matches at this specific stadium. His exceptional performance has enabled him to accumulate a total of 721 runs across a span of 13 innings, with an average of 65. 54 and a strike rate of 92. 43 The individual attained a pinnacle score of 133 at said location. However, it should be noted that Thisara Perera has achieved the highest number of dismissals in One Day International matches held on the said grounds, garnering a total of 18 scalps across 12 matches. Perera’s noteworthy accomplishment is further highlighted by his exceptional best bowling figures of 3/19.

The record for the highest individual score achieved at this venue belongs to Kumar Sangakkara, who scored 133 runs against India in the inaugural One Day International of a five-match bilateral series. Notwithstanding the remarkable performance exhibited by the individual in question, the team representing Sri Lanka suffered a defeat of 21 runs.

The most outstanding One Day International (ODI) bowling performance recorded at the location is attributed to Pakistan’s proficient cricketer, Shahid Afridi, who claimed five wickets for sixteen runs while playing against Kenya during the 2011 World Cup. This particular display made a noteworthy contribution to the cumulative score of Kenya, amounting to a total of 112 all out. This total represents the lowest score to have ever been recorded in an ODI match at this venue.

In 2020, during the second One Day International (ODI) of a three-match series against the West Indies at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Sri Lankan players Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis remarkably achieved the highest partnership on record. Specifically, Fernando and Mendis collaborated to produce a remarkable 239-run stand for the third wicket. The aforementioned strategic collaboration facilitated Sri Lanka in achieving a final score of 345/8 and securing a momentous victory by a margin of 161 runs, thereby establishing a position of invincibility with a 2-0 advantage in the series.

Events

The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium situated in Sooriyawewa, Hambantota, has played host to a multitude of significant cricket fixtures throughout its history. On the 23rd of February, 2011, an instance arose in which Pakistan emerged victorious by a significant margin of 205 runs. On August 14, 2011, at the aforementioned stadium, Australia emerged victorious with a lead of eight wickets against Sri Lanka. Subsequently, on August 16, 2011, Sri Lanka managed to secure a victory by a margin of 78 runs over Australia.

Several cricket matches were contested between Sri Lanka and India over the course of the year 2012. On July 21st of that same year, India emerged victorious over Sri Lanka by a margin of 21 runs. Conversely, a Sri Lankan triumph was subsequently achieved on July 24th as they defeated India by a margin of 9 wickets. In November of 2012, Sri Lanka secured a victory by 7 wickets against New Zealand; however, the subsequent confrontation between the two teams concluded with an indeterminate outcome.

On March 23, 2013, Sri Lanka achieved an 8-wicket triumph against Bangladesh in a cricket match. However, the subsequent encounter concluded without a decisive outcome. In the year of the aforementioned event, New Zealand emerged victorious against Sri Lanka by a margin of four wickets on the twelfth of November.

The stadium in question was the venue for a sequence of matches during the year 2014, where successful triumphs were achieved by the national cricket teams of South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England. On July 26, 2015, Sri Lanka achieved a remarkable victory over Pakistan with a noteworthy margin of 165 runs.

In the year 2017, Sri Lanka achieved a victory with a margin of 8 wickets against Zimbabwe on the 6th of July. However, their counterparts secured triumphs in the subsequent two matches held on the 8th and 10th of July. On the 26th of February, 2020, Sri Lanka achieved a significant victory over the West Indies, triumphing by a margin of 161 runs.

In the year 2023, Afghanistan emerged victorious over Sri Lanka by six wickets on June 2, subsequently ceding to the latter in two later matches on June 4 and June 7, with margins of triumph amounting to 132 runs and nine wickets respectively.

Famous matches

The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, situated in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, has served as the venue for a considerable number of significant cricket fixtures during its relatively short existence.

During the 2011 Cricket World Cup, an acclaimed international competition, the distinguished and esteemed host venue facilitated its inaugural official international match between the Sri Lankan and Canadian cricket teams on the 20th of February, 2011. The encounter resulted in a significant victory for Sri Lanka with a commanding margin of 210 runs. Mahela Jayawardene received the Player of the Match award for his exemplary performance of scoring 100 runs off 81 balls. The second match of the World Cup held within the stadium featured a contest between the national teams of Pakistan and Kenya on the 23rd of February, 2011. Pakistan emerged victoriously, achieving a margin of victory of 205 runs, thereby earning the distinguished award of Player of the Match for Umar Akmal.

In the subsequent year, the stadium facilitated a trilogy of encounters during the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 tournament. On the 18th of September, the Sri Lankan cricket team emerged victorious in their match against Zimbabwe, with a notable 82-run lead. Ajantha Mendis, who achieved unprecedented bowling statistics in the field of Twenty20 Internationals, was awarded the prestigious Player of the Match title. On the 20th of September, South Africa emerged triumphant against Zimbabwe with a whopping 10-wicket victory, ultimately securing Jacques Kallis the Player of the Match award. On the 22nd day of September, an inclement weather-impacted cricket match resulted in South Africa emerging victorious over Sri Lanka by a margin of 32 runs, with AB de Villiers being conferred the title of Player of the Match.

The sports venue, in addition, served as the site of the inaugural iteration of the Lanka Premier League in 2020, wherein all 23 events were held there owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. The inaugural match of the tournament was marked by a tied result, however, the Colombo Kings emerged victorious in the subsequent Super Over contest against their opponents, the Kandy Tuskers. In the course of the semi-final matches, the Galle Gladiators and the Jaffna Stallions emerged as the triumphant teams, with the latter ultimately securing victory by a margin of 53 runs over the former in the final bout. The said location has persistently retained its status as a noteworthy setting for cricket in Sri Lanka, serving as an eminent venue for various prominent fixtures, both domestic and international.

Conclusion

Throughout its history, the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium has become an esteemed component of Sri Lanka’s flawless cricketing heritage. The stadium has played a significant historical role in promoting sports through its association with the Cricket World Cup and, more recently, hosting Lanka Premier League matches. Its prominence as a venue has been underscored by the occurrence of unforgettable sporting events. The records established by both players and teams who have graced this revered venue are indicative of the exceptional abilities and talents exhibited before captivated audiences. The stadium remains a significant symbolic representation of Sri Lanka’s ardent enthusiasm for the sport of cricket and a highly esteemed location among both players and supporters, as it steadfastly retains its status as a central venue for cricket-related activities.