Eden Park is one of the most iconic cricket venues located in Auckland, New Zealand.
Established in 1900, Eden Park is the biggest sports stadium in New Zealand with a seating capacity of 41,000 for cricket matches.
Referred to as New Zealand's national stadium, the stadium is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer.
Owned and operated by the Eden Park Trust Board, it has also hosted rugby league and association football matches.
Eden Park staged its first international cricket match, a Test played between hosts New Zealand and England in February 1930. The match ended in a draw.
It later hosted its first one-day international played between New Zealand and India in February 1976.
In February 2005, Eden Park hosted its first T20 international as Australia beat arch-rivals New Zealand by 44 runs. Since then, it has staged more than 20 T20Is so far.
Let’s have a look at Eden Park T20I records and stats:
Eden Park T20I records and stats
Highest team total
The Australia cricket team holds the record for the highest team total at Eden Park in T20 international cricket. During a Trans-Tasman Twenty20 Tri-Series clash in 2018, Australia scored 245/5 in their successful chase of New Zealand’s 243/6. Chasing a mammoth score of 244, Australia got off to a blitzkrieg start courtesy openers David Warner and D'Arcy Short. Captain Warner led from the front with 59 off just 24 balls while D'Arcy Short slammed a 44-ball 76. Aaron Finch’s unbeaten 36 off 14 balls and Glenn Maxwell’s 14-ball 31 helped Australia chase down the total in 18.5 overs.
Lowest team total
The Bangladesh cricket team registered the lowest team total at Eden Park in the T20I format. Bangladesh were bowled out for 76 in 9.3 overs while chasing 142 against hosts New Zealand in the third and final T20I of the series in April 2021. Mohammad Naim top-scored for Bangladesh with 19 off 13 balls. For New Zealand, leg-spinner Todd Astle was the wrecker-in-chief with four wickets for 13 runs. Fast bowler Tim Southee also bagged three wickets in the game. Earlier, Finn Allen’s 71 off just 29 balls and Martin Guptill’s 19-ball 44 powered New Zealand to 141/4 in their 10 overs in what was a shortened contest. With the 65-run victory, the hosts clinched the three-match T20I series 3-0.
Most runs
Former New Zealand cricketer Martin Guptill scored the most runs at the venue in T20I cricket. Between 2010 and 2021, the swashbuckling right-handed batter accumulated 626 runs in 17 matches at an average of 39.12 and an impressive strike rate of 170.10. Guptill slammed one hundred and four fifties in the T20I format at Eden Park. His former teammate Colin Munro features second on the list with 421 runs in 13 matches.
Most wickets
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has picked up the most wickets at this cricket ground in T20 internationals. The right-arm pacer scalped 19 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 23.73 and an economy of 8.93. He registered his best bowling figures of 5/18 at Eden Park against Pakistan. Former New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Mills is second on the list with 11 wickets in five matches.
Highest individual score
Martin Guptill holds the record for the highest individual score at Eden Park in T20I cricket. While opening the batting for New Zealand, Martin Guptill scored a magnificent 105 off just 54 balls against arch-rivals Australia in a Trans-Tasman Twenty20 Tri-Series clash in 2018. His scintillating knock was laced with six fours and nine maximums. Guptill’s ton guided New Zealand to 243/6 in their 20 overs. However, Guptill’s hundred went in vain as Australia chased down the target in 18.5 overs.
Best bowling figures
Tim Southee has the best bowling figures at this venue in T20 international cricket. The right-arm fast bowler registered impressive figures of 5/18 during the first T20I of Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand in December 2010. Southee dismissed Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Younis Khan, wicketkeeper-batter Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq to restrict Pakistan to 143/9 in their allotted overs. New Zealand later successfully chased down the target in 17.1 overs to secure a five-wicket win in Auckland and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Highest partnership
New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson hold the record for the highest partnership at Eden Park in T20I cricket. During the first T20I of Zimbabwe’s tour of New Zealand in 2012, Guptil and Williamson forged a match-winning 137-run partnership for the third wicket to guide New Zealand to a seven-wicket win in Auckland. While Guptill scored a 54-ball 91, Williamson added 48 before being run-out as the Kiwis went on to successfully chase down a target of 160 set by the Chevrons.
Photo credit: Alamy
