The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is a cricketing venue that is located in Kandy, Sri Lanka.  

Owned by Sri Lanka Cricket, the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was established on November 27, 2009 and boasts a seating capacity of 35,000.

It is also known as the Kandy Cricket Stadium and became the world's 104th Test venue when it hosted its first international match played between hosts Sri Lanka and West Indies in December 2010. The match resulted in a draw.

The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was built along with the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium and was one of the venues that hosted the 2011 Cricket World Cup. It hosted three league-stage games in the marquee ICC tournament.

The Kandy Cricket Stadium hosted its first T20 international played between Sri Lanka and Australia on August 6, 2011. Sri Lanka won the match by 35 runs and since then, it has staged more than 20 T20Is.

Apart from international cricket, the venue has staged several local and regional T20 matches including Lanka Premier League (LPL) games where it is the home ground for the Kandy Falcons franchise.

With that in mind, let’s have a look at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats

Highest total

The Australia cricket team boasts the record for the highest total at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in T20Is. During the first T20I of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in September 2016, the David Warner-led visitors set a huge total of 263/3 for Sri Lanka to chase. Glenn Maxwell smashed 145 not out along with contributions from Travis Head (45) and Usman Khawaja (36) to power Australia to a record T20 total at the venue. Sri Lanka scored 178/9 in reply as the Aussies registered an 85-run win. 

In domestic T20s, Jaffna Kings hold the record for the highest total on this ground. Match 8 of LPL 2022 saw Jaffna Kings post 240/4 against Dambulla Aura thanks to knocks from Rahmanullah Gurbaz (73), Avishka Fernando (54), Sadeera Samarawickrama (38), and Shoaib Malik (32). In reply, Dambulla Aura made 189/8 as Jaffna Kings registered a 51-run victory.  

Lowest total

When considering T20 internationals where overs weren’t reduced due to rain, the New Zealand cricket team registered the lowest total at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in T20s. Chasing 126, the Black Caps were skittled out for 88 in 16 overs in the third T20I of a three-match series in September 2019. Captain Tim Southee (28 not out) and Mitchell Santner (16) were the top scorers for the Kiwis. For Sri Lanka, pacer Lasith Malinga was their main bowler with figures of 6/5, including a hat-trick in the third over of New Zealand’s chase. Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 125/8 in their 20 overs to help guide them to a 37-run win.

Meanwhile, the lowest-ever total in domestic T20s on this ground came during match 14 of LPL 2022 between Dambulla Aura and Colombo Strikers. Asked to bat first by Colombo Strikers, Dambulla Aura managed to score 89 before being bundled out. In reply, Colombo Strikers made light work of the chase as they won the game with nine wickets and 51 balls to spare.   

Most runs

Ex-Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal has scored the most runs at this cricket venue in the T20 format. Between 2010 and 2024, the right-handed batter amassed 758 runs in 28 matches at an average of 36.09 and a strike rate of 133.21. Chandimal has represented the likes of B-Love Kandy, Colombo, Colombo Stars, Ruhuna, SLC Reds, Sri Lanka and Wayamba United in T20 cricket on this ground. All-rounder Dasun Shanaka features second on the list with 686 runs in 22 T20 matches. He has played T20s for Dambulla Aura, Galle Titans, Kandy, Kandy Falcons, SLC Greys and Sri Lanka at this venue.

In T20Is, Sri Lankan legend Tillakaratne Dilshan made the most runs on this ground. He made 334 runs in 10 games at an average of 47.71 and a strike rate of 142.12 between 2011 and 2016. He completed three fifties and a hundred on this ground, including a best individual score of an unbeaten 57-ball 104 against Australia in 2011. Dilshan’s ton against the Aussies is his only century in T20Is. 

Most wickets

Sri Lankan cricketer Akila Dananjaya has claimed the most wickets at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. Having represented the likes of Colombo, Dambulla Sixers, Galle Titans, SLC Reds, Sri Lanka and Wayamba United in the T20 format, Akila Dananjaya has bagged 25 wickets in 20 matches at an economy of 7.93 between 2012 and 2024. Former Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga is second on the list with 21 scalps in 16 games. He played for Kandy, Ruhuna Royals and Sri Lanka in cricket’s shortest format at this venue.

As far as international T20 cricket is concerned, Lasith Malinga has claimed the most wickets on this ground. He took 18 scalps between 2012 and 2020 at an average of 19.33 and an economy of 7.40 with best bowling figures of 5/6 against New Zealand in 2019 when he claimed a hat-trick at the expense of the Kiwis.

Highest individual score

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell has the record for the highest individual score at this venue in the T20 format. During the first T20 international of a two-match series against Sri Lanka in 2016, Glenn Maxwell slammed an unbeaten 65-ball 145 as an opener. Maxwell struck 14 fours and nine sixes to guide Australia to 263/3 in their 20 overs. The Aussies then restricted Sri Lanka to 178/9 to register a comfortable 85-run win in Kandy.

In domestic 20-over matches, Dasun Shanaka of Kandy holds the record for the highest individual score. In an SLC T20 League game between Galle and Kandy in 2018, Shanaka scored an unbeaten 52-ball 105. His knock was laced with 13 fours as well as five sixes and helped Kandy chase down a 197-run target with five wickets and four balls to spare. 

Best bowling figures

Ex-Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis has the best bowling figures at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in T20Is. The former right-arm off-spinner registered match-winning figures of 6/16 against Australia in the final T20I of a two-match series in 2011. Defending 157, Ajantha Mendis dismissed Shane Watson, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson to help restrict Australia to 149/9. Sri Lanka won the match by eight runs and sealed the two-match series 2-0.

On the domestic T20 front, Kasun Rajitha holds the record for best bowling figures on this ground. During match 14 of LPL 2022, Kasun Rajitha's spell of 5/22 helped Colombo Strikers dismiss Dambulla Aura for 89. He took the wickets of Lasith Croospulle, Shevon Daniel, Jordan Cox, Tom Abell, and Paul van Meekeren to help set up a nine-wicket win for the Colombo Strikers. 

Highest partnership

New Zealand’s Mark Chapman and Sri Lanka’s Chamindu Wickramasinghe hold the record for the highest partnership at this venue in the T20 format. In match 1 of LPL 2024 against Kandy Falcons, the duo stitched an unbeaten 154-run stand together for Dambulla Sixers after they joined forces at the crease with the team struggling at 25/4. Chapman made 91 not out off 61 balls, while Wickramasinghe scored an unbeaten 42-ball 62 to help Dambulla Sixers post 179/4. However, their partnership went in vain as Kandy Falcons chased down the target with six wickets and 16 balls to spare.

In T20 internationals, Pakistan’s Imran Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez hold the record for the highest partnership on this ground. The duo put on a 124-run opening stand against Bangladesh in match 12 of the 2016 T20 World Cup and their partnership helped Pakistan chase down a 176-run target with eight balls and just as many wickets to spare. Mohammad Hafeez contributed 45, while Imran Nazir made 72 off 36 balls.

Photo credit: Imago