Pitch, Weather Report Kandy Pallekele Cricket Stadium, also known as the Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium, is one of Sri Lanka’s most scenic cricket venues. Established on 27 November 2009, the stadium is located in Pallekele, Kandy, and has a seating capacity of 35,000 spectators. With modern facilities, including floodlights for day-night matches, the venue is a regular host for international cricket events.
Key Details of Pallekele Stadium
- Location: Pallekele, Kandy, Sri Lanka
- Seating Capacity: 35,000
- Shortest Boundary Distance: 65 meters
- Longest Boundary Distance: 74 meters
- Bowling Ends: Hunnasgiriya End, Rikillagaskada End
- Floodlights: Yes
- Curator: Asitha Wijesinghe
Weather Conditions Of Pallekele Cricket Stadium
Weather plays a critical role in matches at Pallekele, influencing the pitch and player performances.
- Temperature: Daytime temperatures range from 27°C to 31°C, while nights are cooler, dropping to around 20°C.
- Rainfall: November and December are among the wetter months, with frequent rain interruptions. The average monthly rainfall during this period is around 449 mm.
- Humidity: High humidity levels are common, which can affect player endurance and assist swing bowlers in early overs.
- Dew Factor: In night matches, Dew can favor the team batting second by making the ball harder for bowlers to grip.
Lanka T10 Super League 2024: Pitch, Weather Report Kandy Pallekele Stadium Conditions
All the event of Lanka T10 Super League will be played on Knady, The pitch at Pallekele provides a balanced contest between bat and ball. Its behavior varies across formats and as the match progresses. Here’s a breakdown of how the pitch performs:
1. Fast Bowling
- Early in the innings, the pitch supports fast bowlers, offering swing and seam movement due to the freshness of the surface.
- The Hunnasgiriya End often assists pacers with extra bounce, especially under cloudy conditions.
- As the ball softens, fast bowlers rely on variations and accuracy to maintain pressure.
2. Batting
- The pitch is considered batsman-friendly once the initial movement for pacers fades.
- Even bounce and pace make stroke play easier, especially during the middle overs.
- Teams batting first generally aim for totals of 280+ in ODIs and 160+ in T20Is on this ground.
3. Spin Bowling
- Spinners gain more assistance as the match progresses, with the surface offering turn and grip in the latter stages.
- Spinners often target the Rikillagaskada End, which tends to help with drift and turn.
- They play a crucial role in controlling runs and taking key wickets in the middle and death overs.
Average Scores at Pallekele Cricket Stadium
- ODIs:
- Average First Innings Score: Around 280 runs.
- Average Second Innings Score: Slightly lower, as chasing becomes challenging under lights or if the pitch slows down.
- T20Is:
- Average First Innings Score: Approximately 161 runs.
- Average Second Innings Score: Chasing teams have a mixed record, depending on dew and pitch conditions.
Strategies For Players
- For Batsmen: Start cautiously to negotiate early movement and capitalize during the middle overs. Adjust to slower pitches as the match progresses.
- For Fast Bowlers: Utilize the new ball effectively by targeting good lengths and maintaining a tight line. Variations become crucial in deathovers.
- For Spinners: Patience is key. Use the conditions in the latter stages of the game to extract maximum turns and challenge batsmen.
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium: Stats and Records
Data science is crucial for match strategy, awareness of the game, and adjustment of playing style according to the conditions and previous records. Here are the statistics of a Kandy for analysis.
Test Match Stats
| Total Matches | 9 |
|---|---|
| Matches won batting first | 4 |
| Matches won bowling first | 1 |
| Average Scores | |
| 1st innings score | 323 |
| 2nd innings score | 317 |
| 3rd innings score | 273 |
| 4th innings score | 241 |
| Records | |
| Highest total recorded | 648/8 (SL vs BAN) |
| Lowest total recorded | 117/10 (SL vs AUS) |
| Highest score chased | 382/3 (PAK vs SL) |
| Lowest score defended | 161/10 (AUS vs SL) |
ODI Match Stats
| Total Matches | 42 |
|---|---|
| Matches won batting first | 17 |
| Matches won bowling first | 23 |
| Average Scores | |
| 1st innings score | 253 |
| 2nd innings score | 204 |
| Records | |
| Highest total recorded | 381/3 (SL vs AFG) |
| Lowest total recorded | 70/10 (ZIM vs SL) |
| Highest score chased | 314/6 (SL vs AFG) |
| Lowest score defended | 206/9 (WI vs SL) |
T20 Match Stats
| Total Matches | 23 |
|---|---|
| Matches won batting first | 12 |
| Matches won bowling first | 8 |
| Average Scores | |
| 1st innings score | 168 |
| 2nd innings score | 149 |
| Records | |
| Highest total recorded | 263/3 (AUS vs SL) |
| Lowest total recorded | 88/10 (NZ vs SL) |
| Highest score chased | 178/2 (PAK vs BAN) |
| Lowest score defended | 125/8 (SL vs NZ) |
Sri Lanka’s Record at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
All Formats
| Matches Played | 62 |
|---|---|
| Won | 30 |
| Lost | 25 |
| Draw/No Result | 7 |
Sri Lanka Test Record
| Played | 9 |
|---|---|
| Won | 2 |
| Lost | 3 |
| Drawn | 4 |
Sri Lanka ODI Record
| Played | 36 |
|---|---|
| Won | 19 |
| Lost | 16 |
| Draw/No Result | 1 |
Sri Lanka T20I Record
| Played | 17 |
|---|---|
| Won | 9 |
| Lost | 6 |
| Tied | 1 |
| Draw/No Result | 1 |