Cricket tops the list among the popular and most watched sports in a country like India. In fact, at the global level, it is the second most watched sport after football. Let us figure out the top 10 cricket stadiums of the game based on their capacity. Presently the largest cricket stadium in the world is located in India.
Most cricket games are telecast on TV. But the thrill that is associated with watching a game of cricket in a stadium is something hard to compare. It is a common sight for the fans to flock to the stadium and enjoy a share of their popular game. You get to see your desired players apart from the ground in action. When a lot of people cheer the team at the stadium, crowd support holds relevance. A notable feature is that even the cricketers love to play in packed stadiums and no longer want to be playing in an empty gallery.
In the last few years, due to Covid 19, most cricket games have been confined indoors. The latest cricket news suggests that slowly and steadily, the crowds are making their way into the stadium, which is indeed a piece of great news. In most of the stadiums in India, crowds have made their way into the stadiums. Let us flip through the top 10 cricket stadiums in the world.
Narendra Modi Stadium
Situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with a seating capacity of 132,000, it is the largest cricket stadium in the world. Earlier it was referred to as the Gujarat Stadium, and on February 24th, 2021, it was renamed Narendra Modi Stadium. The ownership of the stadium is with the Gujarat cricket association and hosts T20, one-day international, and test matches.
Melbourne Cricket Stadium
Known as MCG, with a seating capacity of 100,024, it is the second largest cricket stadium in the world. Before the emergence of Narendra Modi stadium, it was the largest cricket stadium globally. A lot of events have taken place in this stadium. It is referred to as the spiritual home of Australian cricket, and the light towers at the stadium are one of the tallest in the world. In March 1877, the first cricket match was played here. Not only cricket, it goes on host numerous other sports as well.
Eden Gardens
Established in the year 1864, the stadium occupies the third position in terms of seating capacity. It is also known as the Mecca of Indian cricket and happens to be one of the most popular stadiums in India. Currently, the stadium has a seating capacity of 80,000 spectators. It has one of the fastest outfields in the world, and a few iconic games like the 1987 Reliance World Cup Final was held at this venue. It also becomes the second place after Lords to hold a final.
Shaheed, Veer Narayan Singh Stadium
Located in Raipur, it is one of the newest stadiums in the country. The city capacity of the stadium is 65,400 and falls into the category of the top 5 Stadiums in terms of sitting capacity. The first game that was played at this venue was a practice game between a Ranji trophy team Chhattisgarh and the Canadian national team.
Perth Stadium
This stadium is used for multi-purpose events, along with concerts or entertainment events. In January 2018, the stadium was officially opened. It has a capacity of 600,00 and is the second largest stadium in Australia. This comes as 5th in the list of top capacity stadiums in the world.
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
With a sitting capacity of 55,000, the stadium is situated in Hyderabad, India, and happens to be the home ground of the IPL team Sunrises Hyderabad. In the year 2003, the stadium was established, and in the year 2005, the first one-day game between India and South Africa was played here. The stadium was built in memory of Rajiv Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of the country.
Adelaide Oval
Located in Adelaide, South Australia, with a seating capacity of 53,583, it happens to be one of the oldest stadiums in the world. In the year 1884, the first cricket match was played between Australia and England. Thought the stadium went on to hold its first one-day international game between Australia and West Indies in the year 1975.
It has to be said that this is one of the most beautiful grounds in the world. The name tends to emerge from the oval shape of the ground that is unique in itself. The stadium ranks 7th among the top 10 cricket stadiums in the world.
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium
Situated a few hundred kilometres from the coast, the stadium is situated in Chennai. At one point in time, it was known as the Madras cricket club. The stadium is commonly referred to as the Chepauk Stadium and is the home of the IPL team Chennai super kings. At this very ground, Virender Sehwag went on to score 319 runs in a test match against South Africa in the year 2008.
Docklands Stadium
With a seating capacity of 48,003, the stadium is situated in Australia. It is the only rooftop stadium in the world. Apart from cricket, various other sports are held in this stadium. The construction of the stadium started in the year 1997, and it was completed in the year 2000. The total cost of constructing the stadium was $ 460 million. On August 16th, 2000, the first game between Australia and South Africa took place.
Sydney Cricket Stadium
This is the last stadium in our list of the top 10 cricket stadiums in the world. Situated in Australia, the capacity of the stadium is 48,000 spectators. This is the home ground of the New South Wales cricket team in Australia and the Sydney Sixers in the big bash league. Apart from cricket, other sports are also held at this iconic stadium.
