The Brian Lara Stadium is a multi-purpose venue located in Tarouba, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago.
Located in southern Trinidad, just outside the heart of the city of San Fernando, beside the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, the Brian Lara Stadium is named after West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara.
Between 1990 and 2007, Brian Lara scored over 22,000 runs for the West Indies cricket team. He led the West Indies to the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy as a captain, their first major ICC trophy since winning the 1979 Cricket World Cup in England.
The Tarouba cricket stadium was initially planned to host warm-up matches during the ICC World Cup 2007 and later serve as a cricket academy after the marquee tournament. However, the stadium would not be completed in time for the ODI World Cup.
The Brian Lara Stadium was later completed and inaugurated in 2017. It has a seating capacity of 15,000 spectators.
Part of a US$850 million elite sports complex at Tarouba, the stadium staged its first international cricket match, a T20 played between West Indies and India. Led by Rohit Sharma, India won the game by 68 runs.
Later in 2023, it hosted its first one-day international (ODI) that featured West Indies and India. The visitors secured a 200-run victory in the only ODI played at the venue so far.
The Brian Lara Stadium was selected as one of the venues for the T20 World Cup 2024. It will stage five T20 World Cup 2024 matches including a semi-final clash.
Apart from international cricket, it has also staged multiple Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches including finals from 2017 to 2020.
Let’s have a closer look at the Brian Lara Stadium T20 records and stats.
Brian Lara Stadium T20 records and stats
Highest total
The England cricket team holds the record for the highest total at the Brian Lara Stadium in T20 cricket. During the fourth T20I of England’s tour of the West Indies in December 2023, the visitors posted a mammoth score of 267/3 in their 20 overs. England rode on Phil Salt’s 119 off just 57 balls along with contributions from captain Jos Buttler (55) and Liam Livingstone (54) to post a record T20 total at the venue. In reply, West Indies were bowled out for 192 in 15.3 overs as England won the game by 75 runs.
Lowest total
The Uganda cricket team registered the lowest total at the Brian Lara Stadium in the T20 format. Put in to bat, Uganda were bundled out for 40 in 18.4 overs against New Zealand in a T20 World Cup 2024 group match. Kenneth Waiswa (11) was the only Uganda batter to reach double digits in the innings. For New Zealand, Tim Southee picked up three wickets while Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra bagged two wickets. New Zealand later chased down the target in 5.2 overs to register a nine-wicket win in Trinidad and Tobago.
Most runs
Former New Zealand international cricketer Colin Munro has scored the most runs at the Brian Lara Stadium in T20 cricket. Having represented the likes of Saint Lucia Kings and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Colin Munro amassed 517 runs in 15 matches at an average of 51.70 and a strike rate of 127.33. He slammed five T20 fifties at the venue. West Indies cricketer Johnson Charles features second on the list with 375 T20 runs in 15 games. He has played for the likes of Barbados Tridents and Saint Lucia Kings in the CPL and the West Indies in international cricket.
Most wickets
West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has picked up the most wickets at this venue in the T20 format. Having played for Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, Sunil Narine has bagged 18 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 18.55 and an economy of 5.56 between 2017 and 2023. Narine’s teammate Akeal Hosein is second on the list with 16 T20 wickets in 15 matches at this venue. The left-arm spinner has represented Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL and the West Indies cricket team in international cricket.
Highest individual score
England wicketkeeper-batter Phil Salt has registered the highest individual score at this ground in T20 cricket. Opening the batting, Phil Salt slammed 119 runs off just 57 balls against West Indies in the fourth T20I of a five-match series in Trinidad and Tobago. His magnificent knock was laced with seven fours and 10 sixes. Salt’s knock powered West Indies to 267/3 in their 20 overs. England later bowled out West Indies for 192 in 15.3 overs to secure a 75-run victory.
Best bowling figures
Afghanistan cricketer Naveen-ul-Haq has the best bowling figures at this venue in the T20 format. While playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors, the right-arm pacer registered match-winning figures of 4/14 against Barbados Tridents in a CPL encounter in September 2020. Naveen-ul-Haq dismissed Kyle Mayers, Ashley Nurse, Raymon Reifer and Rashid Khan to help skittle out Barbados Tridents for 92 in their 20 overs. Guyana Amazon Warriors later chased down the target in 16.4 overs to register an eight-wicket win.
Highest partnership
Trinbago Knight Riders’ Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo hold the record for the highest partnership at the Brian Lara Stadium in T20 cricket. Chasing 155, Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo stitched an unbeaten 138-run partnership for the third wicket against St Lucia Zouks in the CPL 2020 final. Lendl Simmons scored 84 not out while Darren Bravo remained unbeaten on 58 to help Trinbago Knight Riders clinch their fourth CPL title.
Photo credit: Alamy
