The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is a 35,000 capacity cricket stadium situated in Pallekele, Kandy, Sri Lanka. The stadium was opened on 27 November 2009 and became the 104th Test venue in the world in December 2010. [1] [2] It was one of the international venues for 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and 2012 ICC World Twenty20.
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Up to November 2018, in total the ground has been the venue for 7 Test matches, [3] 25 One-Day International matches, [4] and 18 T20 International matches. [5]
In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five-for" or "fifer") [6] [7] refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement. [8]
The first bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a Test match at Pallekele Cricket Stadium was Junaid Khan, who took 5/70 in 2012 for Pakistan against host Sri Lanka in the second Test played at the ground. [9] 6 for 106 by Akila Dananjaya against England is the best bowling figures to date in Tests at Pallekele Stadium. There have been a total of 7 five-wicket hauls in Test matches at the ground.
The first One Day International was played at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium between New Zealand and Pakistan on 8 March 2011 in a pool game of 2011 World Cup. [10] Since then there have been a total of 5 five-wicket hauls taken at the ground during ODIs. The first of these was achieved by Mitchell Johnson who took 6/31 for Australia against Sri Lanka in 2011. [11] Johnson's 6/31 is the best bowling figures for an ODI at the Pallekele as well.
The first T20 International was played at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium on 6 August 2011 in the same series against Australia. [12] and, to date, 2 five-wicket hauls has taken at the ground. The best bowling figures to date were achieved by Ajantha Mendis for Sri Lanka against Australia who took 6/16 for in the second match of the series. It was the first time that a bowler took 6 wickets in a Twenty20 Internationals.
