Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records: Most runs, wickets and more

The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, also known as Hyderabad Cricket Stadium, is a cricket stadium in Hyderabad named after former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. As the venue plays its part in hosting the ODI World Cup 2023, we look at all the latest Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records, breaking down the most runs scored, most wickets, and many more statistics.

Located in the eastern suburb of Uppal, the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium has a maximum capacity of 55,000 and extends across 15 acres of land. It serves as the home ground for the Hyderabad Cricket Association and the Indian Premier League team Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

The stadium is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and a floodlight system that was installed during the launch of the inaugural IPL season back in 2008. Over the years hosted a lot of international games along with matches in the Indian Premier League.

Most recent match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

Before we look at the latest Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records, let’s find out what happened the last time two sides clashed at this venue.

During the 8th match of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Sri Lanka and Pakistan came head to head at this venue for a record-breaking encounter. Sri Lanka, coming off a loss to South Africa where they conceded a whopping 428/5, batted first and looked to have well and truly made amends for their opening defeat. Kusal Perera fell early for a duck, but then it all went Sri Lanka's way, as Pathum Nissanka struck a quick 50, before Kusal Mendis plundered 122 from 77 and Sadeera Samarawickrama smashed 108 off 89 balls. These big innings took Sri Lanka to a dominant 344/9 from their 50 overs.

In reply, Pakistan also lost an early wicket in the form of Imam-ul-Haq, who was soon followed by captain Babar Azam. From here, Pakistan launched their own comeback, however, as Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan both striking centuries, making 113 from 103 and 131 from 121 respectively. Rizwan remained not out, impressively battling cramps for his third ODI century. In the end Pakistan chased down Sri Lanka's total with ease, making 345/4 with eight balls remaining.

The victory was the biggest World Cup chase in history.

Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records

Here is a run-down of some of the mouth-watering figures recorded here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium spanning all formats:

– Pakistan chased down Sri Lanka's 344/9 in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, breaking the record for the highest World Cup chase by making 345/4 in their innings

– Brendon McCullum’s 225 (308) against India in 2010 remains the highest individual score by any batsman in test cricket at this venue.

– Alzarri Joseph of Mumbai Indians recorded the best bowling figures in the history of IPL at this venue claiming mind-boggling figures of 6-12 against the Orange Army back in 2019.

– Shubman Gill became the youngest batter to score a double century in ODIs when he smashed a scintillating 208 runs off 149 balls against New Zealand in January 2023. The knock remains the highest individual score at this venue

Read on for a detailed look at some of the specific Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records, based on T20, ODI, and Test performances.

ODI records at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium has hosted some high-voltage limited-overs games in recent times, including the 2009 ODI match between India and Australia where India nearly chased down 350. With very few ODIs being played, here’s a snapshot of all the most important Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records in ODIs:

Total matches	10
Matches won batting first	6
Matches won bowling first	4
Average 1st Inns scores	297
Average 2nd Inns scores	270
Highest total recorded	350/4 (50 Ov) by AUS vs IND
Lowest total recorded	174/10 (36.1 Ov) by ENG vs IND
Highest score chased	345/4 (48.4 Ov) by PAK vs SRI
Lowest score defended	290/7 (50 Ov) by AUS vs IND

With an average first innings score just shy of 300 runs, the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium has certainly enjoyed witnessing some high-scoring ODI games that must have kept the fans on the edge of their seats for the most part. 

T20I records at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

Only two T20I games have been played here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. The stadium hosted two games between India and West Indies and India and Australia. Apart from that, several IPL games have been hosted here at this ground. Here’s a rundown of all the most important T20I records:

Total matches	2
Matches won batting first	0
Matches won bowling first	2
Average 1st innings score	196
Average 2nd innings score	198
Highest total recorded	209/4 (18.4 Ov) by IND vs WI
Lowest total recorded	186/7 (20 Ov) by AUS vs IND
Highest score chased	209/4 (18.4 Ov) by IND vs WI
Lowest score defended	N/A

From the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records above, we can see that teams batting second have a 100% record of winning. Despite the small sample size, bowlers generally tend to have a hard time defending totals at this venue.    

Test match records at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

A few teams including India, Bangladesh, and West Indies have played test matches here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Here’s a rundown of all the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records from these matches:

Total matches	5
Matches won batting first	2
Matches won bowling first	2
Average 1st innings score	404
Average 2nd innings score	377
Average 3rd innings score	205
Average 4th innings score	131
Highest total recorded	687/6 (166 Ov) by IND vs BAN
Lowest total recorded	127/10 (46.1 Ov) by WI vs IND

By looking at the above numbers, the pitch at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium equally favors the batters and the bowlers. The toss is not a key factor here as teams batting first have won the same number of games as opposed to teams bowling first. 

Understanding the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

With these Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records in mind, let's try to dissect the pitch and the ground conditions in more detail.

Pitch and ground conditions

In the longer format, the deck at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium offers equal support to both the batsman and bowler. However, the pitch may seem to aid the batters more often as it is considered to be batsmen-friendly, with uniform bounce and relatively short boundaries. This means that batsmen can play their shots with confidence and score runs at a brisk pace. 

With respect to the longer format of the game, the pitch is generally a flat track, which tends to slow down as the game progresses. This brings the spinners into the equation, who tend to be a lot more devastating than their quick counterparts, especially on Day four and five. The hot and dry weather assists in the formation of cracks which plays into the advantage of the slow wrist spinners.

Typical weather conditions

The climate in Hyderabad is semi-arid meaning that the temperatures remain hot throughout the day. Across all seasons, the weather in Hyderabad is usually very hot and sultry with temperatures soaring up to 40 C. This makes the pitch surface very dry and devoid of any moisture.  

The strong heat waves also diminish the possibility of dew factor. During the month of September, the city receives the maximum amount of rain. Whereas the winter season in Hyderabad starts from the month of October to mid-February.

Ground dimensions

The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is known for its shorter boundary dimensions. Here’s a look at the average dimensions that are subject to change:

Straight boundaries: Approximately 70 meters 

Square boundaries: Approximately 68 meters

Cover region: Varies, offering a substantial playing area for fielders and opportunities for strategic placements by batsmen

Fine leg: Approximately 55-58 meters

Third man: Varies, offering additional dimensions for fielding and bowling tactics

It is clear that the boundaries here at this venue are on the smaller side, meaning batters don’t find it tough to clear the ropes. Specifically, batsmen aim to target the fine leg boundary and accumulate a significant amount of runs from that region, which is reflected in the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium records.   

The Hyderabad Cricket Association has informed the BCCI that they may find it difficult to host World Cup matches on consecutive days and has asked for a tweak in the schedule. The Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad will host the match between New Z…https://t.co/dqo8oHP0Rs

— VOLO.NG (@volodotng) August 20, 2023

Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium and the 2023 ODI World Cup

The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium has seen all of its 2023 ODI World Cup matches occur in a flurry at the start of the tournament. Of the tournament's first eight matches, oddly three were played in Hyderabad. Pakistan defeated the Netherlands in match two, before just days later New Zealand also defeated the Netherlands at the same venue. Most recently. the final World Cup match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium was completed, with Pakistan's record-breaking chase against Sri Lanka.