Why are stadiums built for? Sitting in the cricket stadiums, savoring the popcorn, and witnessing and cheering for favorite players on the battlefield showing their power-pack performances, is the next level of experience. Keeping up the cricket passion, there are many cricket stadiums in Pakistan, but Karachi has its impact and name. I will illustrate everything about Karachi National Stadium Stats And Records, facts, and pitch report, and discuss the role of this stadium in hosting many historical matches.
Built-in 1955, the stadium is located on the National Stadium Road in Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan. It is the largest cricket stadium and is recognized by Pakistan. It is popular because it has been home to many memorable matches in its history, including test matches, ODI, World T20, and World Cup, and now it is ready to host PSL 2024.
National Stadium Karachi
Owned by PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), National Stadium is the landmark of the city of lights. Since its inauguration, this ground has seen many legendary players, momentous cricket matches, and cricket aspirants cheering for their favorite players. It was established on April 21st, 1955. This stadium is regarded as Karachi’s 5th and Pakistan 11th best Cricket stadium.
The national stadium is used for domestic and international cricket. Some of the greatest players of the cricket world, including Sachin Tendulkar, Waqar Younis, Imran Khan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Viv Richards, Mahela Jayawardene, and Thilan Samaraweera, have glorified this stadium with their presence.
PCB is liable and manage all the activities and management of this stadium.
The National Stadium, Karachi Location
Situated in the well-populated area of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town and around 2 km east of the Civic Centre, the cricket ground is easily accessible via Stadium Road, which is further linked to the Lyari Expressway on its north and connects with Shahrah-e-Faisal at the southern end.
The stadium also has close linkages with primary transportation mediums in the city via National Stadium Bus Stop, Expo Centre Bus Stop, Hassan Square Bus Stop, Circular Railway, and Jinnah International Airport.
Considering its location, it is not wrong to say that Karachi National Stadium is a sight to behold when one visits Karachi.
History
Karachi was Pakistan’s capital and trade hub when this stadium was established. It proudly adds to the glory of Pakistan. Before it, a stadium at the Karachi Gymkhana closed down due to limited seating capacity. The Cricket authorities planned to build this stadium, which was accomplished in 1955. It covers an area of 174.5 acres.
After its inauguration, it witnessed its first match between India and Pakistan, playing first-class cricket in 1955. Pakistan won 17 matches in first-class cricket against India, so this stadium was called the ‘Fortress of Pakistan.’ after that.
In 1980, the first ODI was played here; in 1989, Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis played their first test match in this stadium. Soon Pakistan’s reputation was degraded, foreign players stopped coming to Pakistan, and this stadium remained desolated for a significant period. It gained recognition with the arrival of PSL when it hosted the final of PSL 2018.
In October 2022, PCB and NBP signed a deal for the naming rights of the National Stadium. So, National Stadium is renamed as National Bank Cricket Arena.
Enclosures
Karachi Stadium is built in the ideal position of Karachi. It is an ideal ground for a cricket match to be played on. To accommodate the viewers and to make them comfortable, it has 12 enclosures named after the cricketing heroes of Pakistan.
- Intikhab Alam Enclosure
- Iqbal Qasim Enclosure
- Mohd. Brothers Enclosure
- Nasimul Ghani Enclosure
- Wasim Bari Enclosure
- Majid Khan Enclosure
- Waqar Hasan Enclosure
- Imran Khan Enclosure
- Wasim Akram Enclosure
- Zaheer Abbas Enclosure
- Fazal Mahmood Enclosure
- Hanif Mohammad Enclosure
Karachi National Stadium Capacity
PCB and other domestic bodies use the Karachi National Stadium for domestic and international cricket. This stadium has a reputation as the most significant cricket ground in Pakistan. But now, its sitting capacity has been reduced after renovation for multiple reasons. It can now accommodate 34,228 people at a single time.
Pitch Report
According to the pitch experts, the pitch is balanced and advantageous for fast bowlers in test matches; it is also considered batting-friendly for ODIs. It is seen pace bowlers are more successful on this pitch than spinners.
Weather
The weather conditions in Karachi always remain sunny, with a temperature range of 28-32 degrees. The risk of rain is relatively low during the winter, with the sun setting early. The dew plays a crucial role in night games.
Best Records Set at National Stadium
The cricket arena has witnessed many remarkable matches. These matches were all record-making and record-breaking. The spectators were glad to witness such excellent matches. Test, ODIs, T20, and World Cup are conducted here.
World Cups at Karachi National Stadium
This ground hosted some World Cup matches in 1987 and 1996. Here are the details of the matches held at the biggest stadium in Karachi:
| Date & Year | Playing Teams | Winning Team |
| 20th October 1987 | West Indies vs. Sri Lanka | West Indies |
| 30th October 1987 | England vs. Pakistan | Pakistan |
| 29th February 1996 | Pakistan vs. South Africa | South Africa |
| 3rd March 1996 | England vs. Pakistan | Pakistan |
| 11th March 1996 | West Indies vs. South Africa | West Indies |
Test Cricket Records at National Stadium, Karachi
The First Test match was held at National Stadium in 1989, in which Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis played for the first time in this stadium.
| Year | Record Details | Record Set By | Record Set Against |
| 1994 | Highest Run Chase: 315/9 | Pakistan Cricket Team | Australia Cricket Team |
| 1956 | Lowest Team Total: 80 | Australian Cricket Team | Pakistan Cricket Team |
| 2009 | Highest Individual Score: 313 | Younis Khan | Sri Lankan Cricket Team |
| 2009 | Highest Team Total: 765 | Pakistan Cricket Team | Sri Lankan Cricket Team |
| 2009 | Highest Partnership: 437 | Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera | Pakistan Cricket Team |
One Day International (ODI) Records at National Stadium, Karachi
First ODI was played in 1980 at National Stadium Karachi. Some of the best records are:-
| Year | Record Details | Record Set By | Record Set Against |
| 1987 | Highest Individual Score: 181 | Viv Richards | Sri Lankan Cricket Team |
| 2004 | Highest Run Chase: 288/5 | Pakistan Cricket Team | |
| 2008 | Highest Team Total: 374/4 | Indian Cricket Team | Hong Kong Cricket Team |
| 2008 | Highest Partnership: 201 | Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara | Bangladeshi Cricket Team |
| 2008 | Highest Run Chase Achieved: 310/4 | Indian Cricket Team | Sri Lankan Cricket Team |
| 2008 | Lowest Team Total: 115 | Bangladeshi Cricket Team | Pakistan Cricket Team |
T20 International Records at National Stadium, Karachi
Some of the best records at the National Stadium in T20 international are:-
| Year | Record Details | Record Set By | Record Set Against |
| 2018 | Lowest Team Total: 60/9 | West Indies Cricket Team | Pakistan Cricket Team |
| 2018 | Highest Partnership: 119 | Babar Azam and Hussain Talat | West Indies Cricket Team |
| 2018 | Highest Individual Score: 97 | Babar Azam | West Indies Cricket Team |
| 2018 | Highest Team Total: 205/3 | Pakistan Cricket Team | West Indies Cricket Team |
So, these were some of the best records set at Karachi’s most significant arena for cricket.
Ticket Prices
Different matches have different ticket prices in this stadium. The same goes for the enclosure sitting. The PCB has fixed ticket prices at PKR3,000 for a VIP enclosure, PKR2,500 for a premium enclosure, PKR2,000 for a first-class enclosure, and PKR1,000 for a general enclosure.
Online Tickets
National Stadium ticket prices vary by the events at the stadium. Suppose you need to get further details about the stadium or want to book a ticket for upcoming matches. In that case, you can contact them using the below-mentioned information:
Contact Number: 021-34821219
Interesting Facts
Let’s look at some interesting facts about Karachi National Stadium:
- It is the only ground where the Sri Lankan Cricket Team has never been successful in defeating Pakistan.
- Javed Miandad is the only player who has scored more than 1000 runs on this ground, making him the top scorer.
- Younis Khan is the only player to score a triple-century in this arena.
- Two cricketing legends, Waqar Younis and Sachin Tendulkar, started their test match careers on this ground.
- It is the first and the last stadium to host a match for a US president, President Eisenhower.
PSL in National Cricket Stadium Karachi
In 2017, ICC gave the green signal and deemed Pakistan a safe place for cricket. While in 2018, cricket returned to Karachi with the third season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). PCB organized the PSL final between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi in March 2018 that was on-aired on the PTV sports. This was the first time since 2009 that international cricket players played on the grounds of the cricket stadium in Karachi.
The stadium was also the host for the finale as well as several other matches of PSL in 2019. As for PSL 5, nine matches were played at this stadium, along with the opening ceremony of PSL 2020.
In 2021, with the 6th edition of PSL, this Stadium was glorified to welcome cricket at the home ground. Excitingly, In PSL 7, half of the tournament matches were played in this stadium. In 2023, Pakistan Cricket Board decided that Karachi National Stadium would host 9 matches of PSL 8.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many seats are in the National Stadium in Karachi?
Karachi Stadium went under renovation when it was to host PSL matches in 2018. It reduced its sitting capacity to 33,228 seats in total.
Which stadium is the biggest in Pakistan?
Although there are other stadiums in Karachi and overall Pakistan, Karachi National Stadium comes at the top. Karachi tops the list with the biggest Stadium in Pakistan on the National Road.
Does National Stadium Offer Parking Facilities?
PCB organizes domestic and international tournaments at National Stadium Karachi. It has to host remarkable players and welcome a large number of spectators. It offers wide parking for people.
Summary
Karachi National Stadium is the symbol of devotion towards cricket. It has a magnificent history, and we expect it to host the most prominent cricket tournaments in the future. This article gives you an overview of the Karachi National Stadium. You must read this post to know its location, history, pitch report, capacity, the best cricket records set in this stadium, and more.
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