Galle International Stadium, located in Galle, Sri Lanka, is renowned for its picturesque setting, bordered by the Indian Ocean and the historic Galle Fort. Established in 1876 as a racecourse, it transitioned to a cricket venue over time. The stadium hosted its inaugural Test match in June 1998, where Sri Lanka secured a victory against New Zealand.
In December 2004, the stadium suffered extensive damage from the Indian Ocean tsunami. Following significant renovations, it reopened in December 2007. Notably, in 2010, it was the venue where Muttiah Muralitharan claimed his 800th Test wicket.
Galle International Stadium Overall Details
One of the most picturesque grounds, Galle International Stadium is located near the Galle Fort with its two sides surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Which enhances the overall beauty of Galle’s Cricket Stadium. It is also known as the Esplanade, which originated from French meaning an open clear space typically beside the sea, along which people may walk for pleasure.
The stadium has two ends named – City End and Fort End. With 35,000 seating capacity Galle is one of the biggest cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka. Compared to other International cricket stadiums, Galle has a small approx 75 yards or 68 meters of boundaries.
The table shows an overview of Galle International Stadium-
| Galle International Stadium Details | |||
| Location | Near Galle Fort in Galle, Sri Lanka | ||
| Also Known as | The Esplanade | ||
| Ends Name | City End, Fort End | ||
| Capacity | 35,000 | ||
| Shortest Boundary Distance | 65 meter | ||
| Longest Boundary Distance | 68 meter | ||
| Flood Lights | Yes | ||
| Pitch | Grass | ||
Galle International Stadium Pitch Report: Batting or Bowling
The pitch of the Galle International Stadium is spinner-friendly, especially in the red ball cricket. However, the stadium has seen some high scoring during the first innings. But that’s not always the case for the second innings. The spinners get a lot of help from the pitch.
Galle International Stadium Test Records
A total of 44 test matches have been witnessed by the Galle International Cricket Stadium. The batting first team dominated the bowling team by winning 23 games out of 44. On the other hand, the batting second team won 15 games. Only 6 test matches were drawn and went without any result. The average first-inning score is 366 for the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Sri Lanka’s former captain Mahela Jayawardene has a record of 2382 most runs at the Galle Cricket Stadium in the 27 Test matches. The most wickets record is named to Muthiah Muralidaran who took 111 wickets in 15 test matches.
The table below shows all of Galle International Stadium’s records and stats including average score, first match, last match, most runs, most wickets-
| Galle International Stadium Test Records | |||
| Total Matches | 48 | ||
| Matches won batting first | 26 | ||
| Matches won bowling first | 16 | ||
| Average 1st innings Score | 375 | ||
| Average 2nd innings Score | 306 | ||
| Highest total recorded | 704/3 (151 Ovs) By SL vs IRE | ||
| Lowest total recorded | 73/10 (28.5 Ovs) By RSA vs SL | ||
| Most Runs | Mahela Jayawardene – 2382 runs (27 Matches) | ||
| Most Wickets | Muthiah Muralidaran – 111 Wickets (15 Matches) | ||
Galle International Stadium ODI Records
| Statistic | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 13 |
| Matches won batting first | 5 |
| Matches won bowling first | 8 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 196 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 175 |
| Highest total recorded | 329/7 (50 Ovs) By NZW vs SLW |
| Lowest total recorded | 92/10 (31 Ovs) By WIW vs SLW |
Galle International Stadium T20 Records
| Statistic | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 12 |
| Matches won batting first | 5 |
| Matches won bowling first | 7 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 108 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 93 |
| Highest total recorded | 151/5 (20 Ovs) By NZW vs RSAW |
| Lowest total recorded | 79/10 (20 Ovs) By SLW vs RSAW |
Galle International Stadium Pitch Weather Report
For the Galle, the month of Dec brings Mostly Cloudy. During the Sri Lanka and Australia Test match the temperature will oscillate between 26° C and 29° C with 20% of rain precipitation. It will be a very humid day with 83% humidity and winds blowing at a speed of 10 km/hour. Cricket fans might face match delays and interruptions due to the rainy sky.
