Top 5 Cricket Stadiums in the World

Stadiums are the temples of their sports and to visit them is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many and a privilege for many others. It is indeed a special moment for anyone to visit these architectural marvels and to know what it takes to make their team win by becoming that extra player and giving the support that their team needs.

Cricket is mostly played in the Commonwealth countries. In a country like India, where cricket is considered to be a religion and cricketers are compared to God, it is natural that people dream about watching matches live, experience the adrenaline rush that comes with it in the stadium, and also sees their favorite superstars perform live in front of them.

To add to that experience, if the stadium has historical facts, memories and incidents attached with it, like the six sixes Yuvraj Singh hit to Stuart Broad in Kingsmead Stadium, Durban or the ten wickets taken by Anil Kumble in a single Test inning in Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, the fans get to relive those moments in their memories.

Here is a compilation of the five largest cricket stadiums around the world and some interesting facts about them that will make you want to visit the stadiums ASAP!

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#5 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide Oval is the fifth largest stadium in the world and the third largest in Australia

Capacity : 53,583

Opened in 1871, Adelaide Oval is the fifth largest stadium in the world and the third largest in Australia. It not only hosts cricket matches but also Australian Rules football, rugby, football, tennis and the occasional music concerts.

It achieved its maximum attendance of 55317 in a cricket match on December 2, 2017, in the Ashes. But that is not it, the maximum people under the roof of Adelaide oval have been 70,000 for Adele's concert in 2017. This ground is huge and very picturesque.

After the completion of the grounds most recent redevelopment in 2014, sports journalist Gerard Whateley described the venue as being "the most perfect piece of modern architecture because it's a thoroughly contemporary stadium with all the character that it's had in the past".

#4 Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad

It hosted its first international cricket match between India and South Africa on November 16, 2005

Capacity : 60,000

It hosted its first international cricket match between India and South Africa on November 16, 2005. Also, it hosted the opening match and the final match of the 2017 Indian Premier League.

Originally supposed to be named Visakha International Cricket Stadium, it was later decided that the current name be given it to it. Home to Sunrisers Hyderabad, it is well known for its Batsman friendly pitches and high scoring games.

#3 Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Naya Raipur, India

Naya Raipur Cricket Stadium

Capacity: 65000

Opened in 2008. It is a state of the art cricket stadium located in Chattisgarh, India. Named after Veer Narayan Singh, one of the pioneers of war of independence in 1857 in Chhattisgarh.

It has now become the second home of Delhi Daredevils in the IPL after the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. Cricketers were so impressed by the facilities provided at the stadium that Sunil Gavaskar praised its architecture and said that it should be utilized for all types of matches.

Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan also praised the facilities at the stadium in his own words: "When opportunities are created, and such facilities are in place, there is the hope that cricketers will emerge. I hope to play again at this wonderful venue"

#2 Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Eden Garden Stadium in Kolkata

Capacity : 66,000.

Established in 1864, It is considered to be the home of Indian cricket, it is the one stop where every Indian fan dreams of seeing the Indian cricket team play. It has an irreplaceable historical presence in Indian cricket.

The stadium gets its name from the Eden Gardens, one of the oldest parks in Kolkata, adjacent to the stadium. The official capacity is 66,000 but the attendance in some of the matches played here has been recorded to be more than 1,00,000 on at least four occasions.

It has been a part of a lot of history defining moments, some of them are listed as follows:

1. Host to the 1987 Cricket World cup final.
2. Infamous for the crowd behavior during the 1996 world cup semi-final between India and Sri Lanka, where Sri Lanka was given the victory when the match was called off due to crowd revolts after a collapse in Indian batting.
3. Laxman considered this ground to be his home because of the series of performances he gave at this ground, one of them being the 376 run partnership between him and Rahul Dravid against Australia in 2000-2001 Border Gavaskar trophy.
4. Rohit Sharma scored his 264 vs Sri Lanka at this venue in November 2014.
5. Harbhajan Singh hat-trick against Australia in 2000-2001 making him the first Indian to take a hat-trick in Test cricket.

#1 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia

Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia

Capacity: 1,00,024

It is the tenth largest stadium in the world and the largest cricket stadium. Known as 'The G', it was opened in 1853 and since has gone under many reconstructions and changes.

The first ever cricket match played here was a Test match between Australia and England from March 15-19, 1877. It is one of the oldest stadiums in the world too. Apart from cricket, it has been used for many purposes, such as Football, Rugby, Tennis, Cycling, and various concerts of artists from around the world.

'The G' hosted the first ever Test match and ODI in the history of Cricket and it was also used for military purposes in WW2 and acted as a base for the recuperation of soldiers from USA and Australia.

It has a lot of records to its name apart from hosting the first ODI and Test match, some of them being:

• Having the world's tallest floodlights.
• World's first electronic sightscreen.

It also hosts the National Sports Museum. Out and out, this ground can be considered the sporting hub of Australia and the mainstay of cricket in Australia