The Hagley Oval is one of the world’s oldest cricket grounds located in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Established in 1851, the Canterbury cricket team used the venue frequently until the 1920s.
Situated in the Hagley Park in the central city of Christchurch, the Hagley Oval has a seating capacity of 9,000 and is expandable to 18,000.
Hagley Oval staged its first international men’s cricket match, a one-day game played between Canada and Scotland during the 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in January 2014. Scotland won the match by 170 runs.
It later staged its first Test played between hosts New Zealand and Sri Lanka in December 2014. The hosts won the Test by eight wickets.
Five years later, the Hagley Oval staged its first T20 international in November 2019. England beat New Zealand by seven wickets in that game.
Since then, it has hosted nine T20 internationals in men’s cricket. Let’s have a look at Hagley Oval T20I records and stats:
Hagley Oval T20I records and stats
Highest team total
The New Zealand cricket team holds the record for the highest team total at the Hagley Oval in T20 international cricket. During a New Zealand T20I Tri-Series clash in 2022, the hosts posted 208/5 in their 20 overs against Bangladesh in the fifth match in Christchurch. Put into bat, New Zealand rode on fifties from Devon Conway (64) and Glenn Phillips (60) to post a record T20I total at the venue. The Tim Southee-led New Zealand later restricted Bangladesh to 160/7 in their allotted overs to register a comprehensive 48-run victory. However, the hosts lost to Pakistan by five wickets in the Tri-Series final.
Lowest team total
The Pakistan cricket team registered the lowest team total at the Hagley Oval in the T20I format. Led by captain Kane Williamson, New Zealand restricted Pakistan to 130/7 in their 20 overs during a Tri-Series encounter in 2022. Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell picked up two wickets each. Iftikhar Ahmed top-scored for Pakistan with a run-a-ball 27. Finn Allen’s 62 and Devon Conway’s unbeaten 49 helped New Zealand chase down the target in 16.1 overs and with nine wickets in hand.
Most runs
New Zealand’s star batter Devon Conway has scored the most runs at the venue in T20I cricket. Between 2021 and 2022, the swashbuckling left-handed batter has accumulated 332 runs in six matches at an impressive average of 110.66 and a strike rate of 133.87. Conway has slammed three fifties in the T20I format at the Hagley Oval. Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan features second on the list with 201 runs in five matches.
Most wickets
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has bagged the most wickets at this cricket ground in T20 internationals. The right-arm pacer has scalped 10 wickets in seven matches at an average of 19.80 and an economy of 7.47. His best T20I bowling figures at the Hagley Oval is 2/10. Tim Southee’s Michael Bracewell is second on the list with eight wickets in five matches.
Highest individual score
Devon Conway holds the record for the highest individual score at the Hagley Oval in T20I cricket. Batting at number four, Devon Conway scored a magnificent 99 not out off just 59 balls against arch-rivals Australia in the first T20I of the series in 2021. His scintillating knock was laced with 10 fours and three maximums. Despite missing his ton by one run, Conway powered New Zealand to 184/5 in their 20 overs. The hosts later bowled out Australia for 131 in 17.3 overs to win the game by 53 runs in Christchurch.
Best bowling figures
New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi has the best bowling figures at this venue in T20 international cricket. The leg-spinner registered impressive figures of 4/28 during the first T20I of Australia’s tour of New Zealand in February 2021. Defending 185, Sodhi bamboozled the Australian batters as he dismissed Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Daniel Sams and Kane Richardson to bundle out Australia for 131. New Zealand later won the five-match T20I series 3-2.
Highest partnership
New Zealand’s Finn Allen and wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway hold the record for the highest partnership at the Hagley Oval in T20I cricket. During the fourth game of New Zealand T20I Tri-Series in 2022, Allen and Conway forged a match-winning 117-run partnership for the opening wicket to help New Zealand chase down 131 in 16.1 overs. While Allen scored 62 off 42 balls, Conway remained unbeaten on 49. The incredible partnership guided New Zealand to a nine-wicket win in Christchurch.
Photo credit: Alamy
