| Ground Name: | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium راولپنڈی کرکٹ سٹیڈیم |
| Nickname: | Pindi Cricket Stadium |
| Country: | Pakistan |
| Location: | Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Establishment: | 19 January 1992 |
| Seating Capacity: | 15,000[1] |
| Owner: | Pakistan Cricket Board |
| Operator: | Northern Cricket Association |
| Tenants: | Pakistan national cricket team Northern cricket team Islamabad United |
| End1: | Pavilion End |
| End2: | Shell End |
| International: | true |
| Firsttestdate: | 9–14 December |
| Firsttestyear: | 1993 |
| Firsttesthome: | Pakistan |
| Firsttestaway: | Zimbabwe |
| Lasttestdate: | 1–5 December |
| Lasttestyear: | 2022 |
| Lasttesthome: | Pakistan |
| Lasttestaway: | England |
| Firstodidate: | 19 January |
| Firstodiyear: | 1992 |
| Firstodihome: | Pakistan |
| Firstodiaway: | Sri Lanka |
| Lastodidate: | 29 April |
| Lastodiyear: | 2023 |
| Lastodihome: | Pakistan |
| Lastodiaway: | New Zealand |
| Firstt20idate: | 7 November |
| Firstt20iyear: | 2020 |
| Firstt20ihome: | Pakistan |
| Firstt20iaway: | Zimbabwe |
| Lastt20idate: | 21 April |
| Lastt20iyear: | 2024 |
| Lastt20ihome: | Pakistan |
| Lastt20iaway: | New Zealand |
| Date: | 21 April |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Source: | http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/ground/59006.html Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Cricinfo |
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is a cricket stadium located in Rawalpindi, Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located close to Pir Meher Ali Shah University and Rawalpindi Arts Council. The first international match at the stadium was played on 19 January 1992, when Sri Lanka faced Pakistan in an ODI.[2] The stadium hosted its first Test match in 1993, when Zimbabwe toured Pakistan.[3]
Test cricket returned to Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium during the 2019 two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The first test match was held from 11–15 December 2019 in Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was established in 1992 and replaced Pindi Club Ground as an international stadium.[4] [5] It is the home ground of Islamabad United and Northern cricket team.[4] Before the construction of Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Club Cricket Ground had been used as a venue for international matches, including one Test match against New Zealand that was held in March 1965.[6]
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was a prime spot in the 1995–96 Cricket World Cup. With an eye on the that World Cup, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled a new Test venue for the second Test against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi, becoming the country's 14th Test ground. The floodlights were added in late 2001 when the Australians were set to tour the region. The stadium is just 20 minutes from the capital Islamabad and is the only international cricket stadium in the Islamabad Capital territory.
This stadium is the home ground and international debut ground of world's fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar who is called with the nickname of Rawalpindi Express.
In the 2nd ODI of 2004 Samsung ODI series, while other Indian batters are getting struggling with the pace and spin attack of Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar played a courageous knock of 141 (135) in this ground.
In April 2018, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the venue, along with several others in the country, would get a makeover to get them ready for future international matches and fixtures in the Pakistan Super League.[7]
In October 2019, the PCB proposed hosting the two Test matches in Pakistan, instead of the UAE, at venues in Rawalpindi and Karachi.[8] Sri Lanka Cricket said that they were "very positive" with regards to the progress of playing Test cricket in Pakistan.[9] In November 2019, the PCB confirmed the dates and venues for the Test series, with the first test match taking place in Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 11 to 15 December.[10] It was the first test match played at this venue after 15 years and first International match after 13 years.[11]
This Stadium hosted three ODI matches during the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
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| Record | Runs | Team/player | Opposition | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest team total | 657 | England | Pakistan | 1 December 2022 | |
| Lowest team total | 139/10 | West Indies | Pakistan | 29 November 1997 | |
| Highest individual score | 270 | Rahul Dravid | Pakistan | 13 April 2004 | |
| Highest partnership | 323 | Aamer Sohail & Inzamam-ul-Haq | West Indies | 29 November 1997 |
| Record | Runs | Team/player | Opposition | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest team total | 337/3 | Pakistan | New Zealand | 29 April 2023 | |
| Lowest team total | 104/10 | Zimbabwe | Sri Lanka | 29 November 1997 | |
| Highest individual score | 188* | Gary Kirsten | United Arab Emirates | 16 February 1996 | |
| Highest partnership | 204 | Saleem Malik & Inzamam-ul-Haq | Sri Lanka | 19 November 1992 |
| Record | Runs | Team/player | Opposition | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest team total | 194/4 | New Zealand | Pakistan | 24 April 2023 | |
| Lowest team total | 134/7 | Zimbabwe | Pakistan | 8 November 2020 | |
| Highest individual score | 102 | Babar Azam | Zimbabwe | 7 November 2020 | |
| Highest partnership | 100 | Babar Azam & Haider Ali | Zimbabwe | 8 November 2020 |
| Symbol | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Day the Test started or ODI was held | |
| Inn | Innings in which five-wicket haul was taken | |
| Overs | Number of overs bowled. | |
| Runs | Number of runs conceded | |
| Wkts | Number of wickets taken | |
| Econ | Runs conceded per over | |
| Drawn | The match was drawn. |
Twelve five-wicket hauls have been taken in Test matches at the ground.[12]
| No. | Bowler | Date | Team | Opposing team | Inn | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan won | |||||||||
| 2 | Heath Streak | Pakistan won | |||||||||
| 3 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 4 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 5 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 6 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 7 | Drawn | ||||||||||
| 8 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 9 | Australia won | ||||||||||
| 10 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 11 | Hasan Ali (1/2) | Pakistan won | |||||||||
| 12 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 13 | Hasan Ali (2/2) | Pakistan won | |||||||||
| 14 | Drawn | ||||||||||
| 15 | England won |
Five five-wicket hauls have been taken in One Day Internationals at the ground.[13]
| No. | Bowler | Date | Team | Opposing team | Inn | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan won | ||||||||||
| 2 | Shaheen Afridi | Pakistan won | |||||||||
| 3 | Iftikhar Ahmed | Pakistan won | |||||||||
| 4 | Mohammad Hasnain | Tied | |||||||||
| 5 | Blessing Muzarabani | Tied |