Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium

Ground information Location: Pallekele, Kandy District, Central Province  / 7.28028; 80.72222 Establishment: November 27, 2009 Capacity 35,000 Owner: Sri Lanka Cricket Operator: Sri Lanka Cricket Tenants: Inter-Provincial Limited Over Tournament Inter-Provincial Twenty20 2011 Cricket World Cup End names: Hunnasgiriya End Rikillagaskada End

History 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 following 2011 Cricket World Cup matches will be played in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in the month of February, 2011. The first official international match would be between Pakistan and New Zealand on 8 March 2011. A total of three matches will be played at the venue during the World Cup. Location and background 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. It 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 Trivia Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium became the 104 Test venue in the world in December 2010. The first Test was played between Sri Lanka and the West Indies from 1–5 December. The stadium is Sri Lanka's eighth Test venue. By dismissing Chris Gayle of West Indies, Sri Lanka's Suranga Lakmal became the third bowler to take a wicket with the first ball bowled in a test match at a new venue, joining Kapil Dev of India and Imran Khan of Pakistan.