Pakistan are gearing up for another high-profile series at home against Sri Lanka. These two sides will be up against each other in three ODIs, and all these matches will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium between November 11 and 15. The first ODI has a scheduled start of 2:30 PM IST on November 11 (Tuesday).
Shaheen Shah Afridi had a great start to his ODI captaincy as Pakistan beat South Africa 2-1 last week. The coming series will be full of surprises, and we might see some hard-fought moments because Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is a perfect venue to host international matches.
Here we will discuss briefly the pitch report and playing conditions for Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report – Batting or Bowling Pitch?
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is one of Pakistan’s top cricket venues, which was built in 1992. It offers a seating capacity of 18000 at once and is situated in the Punjab region of Pakistan near Pir Meher Ali Shah University and the Rawalpindi Arts Council. It is run under the supervision of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The wicket in Rawalpindi is generally flat, and it has hosted high-scoring games. It is a traditional Pakistani wicket, which has good help for the fast bowler, and spinners will get into play in the lateral part of the game. There is very little grass on this wicket, which brings good bounce, and batters can play the shots on the up. And if we look at the characteristics of this venue, this is an excellent pitch wicket.
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Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report – Fast Bowlers or Spinners Pitch?
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is known to be offering a good batting wicket, where the conditions will remain similar throughout the game. The new ball will have seam movement early on and spinners will get grip. In the evening time, the ball will swing under light. But as the game goes on, the wicket might have variable bounce.
That makes it easier for spinners to access the crease more. The wicket is pretty flat, which will have more tear with the game, and the ball might keep low as well. Hence, spinners will be more effective on this wicket, and we can say that this is more in favor of spinners than pacers.
This venue has hosted more than 50 international matches across formats. In 50-over cricket, this venue has hosted 27 games. 11 matches have ended in favor of the team batting first, while the chasing side has bagged 15 wins, with one game having ended with no results. The average first-inning score is 242 in ODIs.
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Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium – Test Records
| Category | Details |
| Total Matches | 17 |
| Matches won batting first | 3 |
| Matches won bowling first | 10 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 336 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 399 |
| Average 3rd innings Score | 225 |
| Average 4th innings Score | 143 |
| Highest total recorded | 657/10 (101 Ovs) By ENG vs PAK |
| Lowest total recorded | 112/10 (37.2 Ovs) By ENG vs PAK |
| Highest score chased | 220/8 (83.5 Ovs) By SL vs PAK |
| Lowest score defended | 187/10 (62.2 Ovs) By ZIM vs PAK |
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium – ODI Records
| Category | Details |
| Total Matches | 27 |
| Matches won batting first | 11 |
| Matches won bowling first | 15 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 02 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 242 |
| Highest total recorded | 337/3 (48.2 Ovs) By PAK vs NZ |
| Lowest total recorded | 104/10 (33 Ovs) By ZIM vs SL |
| Highest score chased | 337/3 (48.2 Ovs) By PAK vs NZ |
| Lowest score defended | 206/9 (50 Ovs) By ENG vs PAK |
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Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium – T20I Records
| Category | Details |
| Total Matches | 9 |
| Matches won batting first | 1 |
| Matches won bowling first | 6 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 2 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 137 |
| Highest total recorded | 194/9 (20 Ovs) By RSA vs PAK |
| Lowest total recorded | 90/10 (18.1 Ovs) By NZ vs PAK |
| Highest score chased | 194/4 (19.2 Ovs) By NZ vs PAK |
| Lowest score defended | 194/9 (20 Ovs) By RSA vs PAK |
FAQ:
Is Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Batting or Bowling Friendly?
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is considered batting-friendly. It has hosted high-scoring games in white-ball format. In the PSL, this is a good scoring venue because the boundaries are small and the outfield is fast. All these features make this venue mostly in favor of the batters.
What is the average score at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium?
Overall, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has hosted a total of 27 matches in the 50-over format. The first ODI was played at this venue in 1992. The chasing team has won 15 out of 27 games at this venue, and it has the first-inning average score of 242.
What are the boundary dimensions at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Stadium?
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi is a small venue. It offers small square boundaries across the ground. The square boundaries are of size 75 meters, while the straight boundaries can range up to 65 meters.
