 Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, also known as Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium, is one of the newest cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka and the newest in the city of Kandy. The stadium has been renamed as the Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium. In July 2010, The Central Provincial Council in Kandy unanimously made the renaming decision to honor the legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. The stadium was declared opened on November 27, 2009.
The stadium is located about a half-hour drive from Kandy. The Pallekele stadium is wholly owned by Sri Lanka Cricket and is set to displace the Asgiriya Stadium, which has hosted Tests from 1983 to 2007, as the international venue of choice around Kandy. The stadium was built by the State Engineering Corporation of Sri Lanka and is designed along the lines of SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa.
The stadium has been built for the 2011 Cricket World Cup along with Hambantota International Cricket Stadium. The first Test Cricket match scheduled be played at the stadium will be between Sri Lanka and the West Indies from December 1 to December 5, 2010. The first One Day International match at the venue will be played between New Zealand and Pakistan on 8 March 2011. Pallekele is also the host for the Kandurata cricket team.
Basic Facts about the Ground:
• Established: 2009
• Capacity: 35,000
• Playing area: 80.0m long, 75.0m wide
• Floodlights: Yes installed in 2010
• End names: Hunnasgiriya End, Rikillagaskada End
• Curator: Asitha Wijesinghe
ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 matches at this ground:
• Pakistan Vs New Zealand on 8th March
• Sri Lanka Vs Zimbabwe on 10th March
• Pakistan Vs Zimbabwe on 14th March
How to reach Pallekele International Cricket Stadium:
The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is located in Pallekele, Kandy District, Central Province, Sri Lanka. If you are foreigner and want to watch the upcoming International Cricket matches in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, you have to come to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. From Colombo, you can reach Kandy by bus or by taxi. And once you have reached Kandy, it would not be a problem to reach the stadium.
The transport system in Kandy, mainly depends on buses. The bus services are offered by the government owned Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) as well as by the private parties. Several highways connect Kandy with other major cities of the country. Kandy is connected to Colombo by A1 highway. Highway A9 connects Kandy with Jaffna. Kandy is also connected to Padiyathalawa and Kurunegala by the by highways A26 and A10 respectively.
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Pallekele International Cricket Stadium