The iconic Eden Gardens is India’s oldest cricket stadium located in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Established in 1864, the Eden Gardens is often referred to as the home of Indian cricket and fondly called the "Mecca of Indian cricket", due to it being the first purpose-built ground for the sport.
Owned and operated by Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), it is the home ground of Team Kolkata in the Indian T20 League and the Bengal cricket team in domestic cricket.
Built during British rule, the Eden Gardens remained the largest cricket ground in India and Asia and the second-largest ground in the world, until the new Narendra Modi Stadium was inaugurated in Motera in February 2021.
With a current seating capacity of around 68,000, Eden Gardens is now India’s second-largest cricket stadium and third-largest in the world.
Eden Gardens has staged several important matches in major international competitions including the World Cup, World T20 and Asia Cup.
It became the second stadium to host a World Cup final in 1987. The 2016 T20 World Cup final between West Indies and England was also hosted at this venue.
Apart from international matches, it has also staged several Indian T20 League matches and other T20 matches in domestic as well as at club levels.
With that said, here’s a closer look at the Eden Gardens T20 records and stats.
Eden Gardens T20 records and stats
Highest total
The Uttar Pradesh cricket team holds the record for the highest total at the Eden Gardens in T20 cricket. During a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League Group B match in 2018, the Suresh Raina-led Uttar Pradesh posted 235/3 in their 20 overs against Bengal. Electing to bat first, the visitors rode on Suresh Raina’s unbeaten 126 off 59 balls and wicketkeeper-batter Akshdeep Nath’s 43-ball 80 to post a record T20 total at the venue. In reply, Bengal were bowled out for 160 in 16.1 overs as Uttar Pradesh won the game by 75 runs.
Lowest total
Team Bangalore registered the lowest total at the Eden Gardens in the T20 format. Chasing a target of 132, Bangalore were bundled out for 49 in just 9.4 overs by Team Kolkata during an Indian T20 League match in 2017. For Kolkata, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Woakes and Colin de Grandhomme bagged three wickets each to help bowl out Bangalore for an embarrassing total. Interestingly, not a single Bangalore batter reached double digits as Kedar Jadhav top-scored with nine. Earlier, Kolkata were bowled out for 131 in 19.3 overs. The hosts won the game comprehensively by 82 runs.
Most runs
Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has scored the most runs at the venue in T20 cricket. Between 2008 and 2018, the stylish left-handed batter amassed 1,462 runs in 50 matches at an average of 32.48 and a strike rate of 126.58. He slammed 11 fifties at the iconic Eden Gardens in cricket’s shortest format. Gambhir represented the likes of Team Kolkata, and Team Delhi in the Indian T20 League as well as the Delhi cricket team in domestic cricket at this venue.
Most wickets
West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has scalped the most wickets at this cricket ground in the T20 format. Representing Team Kolkata in the Indian T20 League, the right-arm off-spinner has bagged 67 wickets in 56 matches at an average of 19.82 and an economy of 6.33. His best T20 bowling figures at the Eden Gardens is 5/19 against Team Punjab in Indian T20 League 2012. India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla is second on the list with 41 wickets in 35 matches.
Highest individual score
Suresh Raina and Shubman Gill share the record for the highest individual score at the Eden Gardens in T20 cricket. Batting at number three, Suresh Raina smashed 126 not out off 59 balls against Bengal in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash in 2018. His scintillating knock was laced with 13 fours as well as seven maximums and set up an easy win for his team. Meanwhile, Punjab’s Shubman Gill also scored a 55-ball 126 against Karnataka in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarter-final encounter in 2022. Gill’s match-winning knock included 11 fours and nine sixes.
Best bowling figures
Assam’s Pritam Das has the best bowling figures at this venue in the T20 format. The right-arm medium-pacer registered sensational figures of 5/9 against Tripura during an Inter State Twenty-20 Tournament game in 2017. Pritam dismissed Udiyan Bose, captain Manisankar Murasingh, Sanjay Majumder, Joydeep Bhattacharjee and Arjun Debnath to bundle out Tripura for 85 in 16.5 overs. Assam later successfully chased down the required target in 12.1 overs as they won the match by seven wickets. Apart from Pritam, Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman and Sarfaraz Ashraf have scalped five wicket-hauls in the T20 format at the Eden Gardens.
Highest partnership
Team Mumbai’s Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma hold the record for the highest partnership at the Eden Gardens in T20 cricket. During an Indian T20 League match in 2012, Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma forged an unbeaten 167-run partnership for the second wicket against Team Kolkata. While Gibbs scored 66 not out, Rohit remained unbeaten on 109 to power Mumbai to 182/1. Mumbai later restricted Kolkata to 155/4 in their 20 overs to win the match by 27 runs.
Highest successful chase
Team Punjab hold the record for the highest successful chase at this venue against Team Kolkata during the 2010 edition of the Indian T20 League. Chasing a target of 201, Mahela Jayawardene slammed an unbeaten 110 off 59 balls to help Punjab chase down the target in 18.2 overs with eight wickets in hand.
Photo credit: Alamy
