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The ten biggest cricket stadiums in the world

by Wisden Staff December 20, 2020 - 7:10pm 3 minute read

Since cricket is one of the most played games throughout the world, cricket stadiums have to be big to accommodate as many spectators as possible.

There are plenty of ways to demonstrate cricket’s popularity. It was recorded that an estimated £71 million was bet on the Indian Premier League Final on a betting platform in the UK (Take a look at the best UK betting promotions for your cricket bets.) Even though most cricket matches get broadcast on television, many fans like to catch the live action at the stadium. After all, watching a match as it happens is much more surreal than catching the action on TV.

Here’s a look at the biggest cricket stadiums and the capacity of each.

1. Sardar Patel Stadium or Motera Cricket Stadium, Gujarat

The first massive cricket stadium on our list is the Sardar Patel stadium located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is considered the biggest cricket stadium in the world because it’s spectator capacity is 110,000.

This behemoth was built in 1982 and later repaired in 2020 with Shashi Prabhu being the architect behind the construction. The stadium cost 800 crores INR to rebuild.

The Sardar Patel stadium is sometimes referred to as the Motera cricket stadium to acknowledge that it’s a stadium built expressly for playing cricket. The US President, Mr Donald Trump, was the one who oversaw the inauguration.

2. Melbourne Cricket Ground

Second on the list is the Melbourne Cricket Ground located in Melbourne, Australia. It was built in 1853 with a spectator capacity of 100,024.
This Australian cricket ground was where the first Test match ever played was hosted. It happened between March 15-19 in 1877.

3. Eden Gardens

Eden Gardens is a cricket stadium with a unique name. It was built in Kolkata, India around 1864 with a spectator capacity of 66,349.
This cricket ground is sometimes referred to as the Mecca of Indian cricket because it’s the most popular cricket stadium in India. The first cricket match to be held here was a Test match that took place between the January 5-8, 1934.

4. Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium

The next big cricket stadium on our list is another one with a unique name. The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh international cricket stadium is located in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. It is a newer stadium since it was built in 2008. This is a 21st-century stadium with a spectator capacity of 65,000.

This stadium has been described as one of the best in the world even though it has not yet hosted an international cricket match. The first cricket match played here was a practice match that took place in 2010. It was between the Chhattisgarh Ranji team and the national cricket team of Canada.

5. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

The Rajiv Gandhi international cricket stadium is another 21st-century stadium built in 2003. It is located in Hyderabad, India and has a spectator capacity of 60,000.

This cricket ground hosted its first cricket match in 2010 between November 12-16. It was a Test match between New Zealand and India.

6. Greenfield International Stadium

At No.6, we have Greenfield international stadium, located in Trivandrum, India. This cricket ground was built in 2014 with a spectator capacity of 55,000.

The first cricket match held here was a T20 match between New Zealand and India. The match took place in 2017 on November 7.

7. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is located in Kochi, India, and was built in 1996 with a spectator capacity of 55,000.

Even though it is a cricket stadium, it is sometimes used to conduct football matches. The first cricket match ever held on this ground was an ODI match between Australia and India. It happened on April 1, 1998.

8. DY Patil Sports Stadium

Next is DY Patil sports stadium, built in 2008, also with a spectator capacity of 55,000. This cricket ground is located in Navi Mumbai, India.

9. Adelaide Oval

Adelaide Oval is a cricket ground located in Adelaide, Australia. It was built in 1871 with a spectator capacity of 53,583. Its name is derived from the fact that it’s oval-shaped.