A stadium is the proud possession of a country. It embarks the spirit and dedication of people towards promoting their favorite sport. Cricket stadiums in Pakistan are the true memorandum of the glorious cricket history of Pakistan. Multan Cricket Stadium Facts And Records, Stats, Pitch Report holds some momentous cricket history in its records.
In the old times, authorities used Multan Cricket Stadium multi-use stadium for cricket and football. The green grassy field with well-maintained pitches and neat and clean rows of seats makes it one of the best sports venues in Multan. Now Multan Sultans has made it their home ground. Multan Sultans won its first PSL title in the 2021 season. Now, they are considered one of the favorite teams of the PSL 2023.
This guide gives you a tour of Multan Cricket Stadium, its location, sitting capacity, records, history, and much more.
Multan Cricket Stadium – Home Ground Of Multan Sultans
Multan Cricket Stadium is a beautiful sight in the City of Shrines. PCB owned the ground, and it is now the home ground of Multan Sultans. The stadium hosts both forms of International Cricket: Test cricket and One Day International. PCB has declared this stadium to be fit for hosting some of the matches of PSL 8.
The ground is adorned with lush greenest outfields, which makes it one of the most beautiful stadiums. Multan Cricket Stadium also hosted one historical Pakistan-India Test that saw Virender Sehwag smash a career-best 309, enabling India to inflict an innings defeat over Pakistan.
History Of Multan Cricket Stadium
Multan Cricket Stadium replaced the Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium, which opened in 1975 and could hold 18,000 spectators simultaneously. Qasim Bagh Stadium, also known as the Old Fort Stadium, was a multi-purpose ground used for football and cricket matches. Only three matches took place at this sports venue, but this stadium was not fit for international cricket.
To compensate for the need for a well-equipped stadium, PCB established Multan Cricket Stadium in 2001. This stadium stands to the glory of hosting international cricket matches on its premises.
The first test match at Multan Cricket Stadium was played in 2001 between Pakistan and Bangladesh for the Asian Test Championship. A record-making test match between arch-rivals Pakistan and India played at Multan Cricket Stadium in 2004, where Virender Sehwag batted a record triple century – 309 runs and led India to a beautiful win.
In April 2018, PCB announced that the venue and several others in the country would be renovated to make them fit for future international matches and Pakistan Super League.
This stadium hosted its first PSL match on 26 February 2020 between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi. In PSL 2020, this stadium hosted three matches.
On 30 May 2022, the PCB announced that Multan Cricket Stadium would host a three-match ODI series against the West Indies in June. Multan hosted its first international match in 14 years, with the first ODI against the West Indies on 8 June 2022.
In August 2022, the PCB announced that Multan would serve as one of the venues for the home Test series against England in December 2022.
Multan Cricket Stadium – Location
Multan Cricket Stadium is located off Vehari Road, Gulshan e Yousaf, Multan. The stadium’s exact location is east of the bus stations Vehari Chowk Metrobus and Faisal Movers Bus Terminal in the suburbs of Multan.
Naseerabad, Ali Town, Nazir Colony, and Tahir Colony are some neighborhoods close to Multan’s international stadium. Located in the suburbs of Multan, the stadium is easily accessible by public transport as it is near the central city (approx 5km).
Multan Cricket Stadium – Building and View
From the drone view of the stadium, you can see lush green outfields have formed the boundary of the building. The stadium’s building is similar to one of the famous shrines of Multan, with dusted-colored bricks. Authorities have installed Floodlights recently to make day/night cricket matches possible. Plastic chairs are installed in the enclosures.
The stadium’s building is circular. The boundary length of Multan Cricket Stadium is about 60-80 meters from the center pitch. However, it can be decreased or increased depending upon the type of cricket played here.
The stadium was renovated and upgraded in 2018 to make it suitable for hosting PSL matches. The management laid the grass re-laid on the ground. They established new media enclosures established to accommodate media persons. One of the significant features of Multan Cricket Stadium is that there is less distance between the seating area and the ground so that you can view the players up close in action.
Multan Cricket Stadium – Enclosures and Stands
Nine enclosures are less than Karachi National Stadium, marked with different colors and unique identification in Multan cricket stadium. Most of them are named after the remarkable cricketers of Pakistan.
- Zaheer Abbas Enclosure
- Javed Miandad Enclosure
- Elahi Brothers Enclosure
- Wasim Akram Enclosure
- Fazal Mehmood Enclosure
- Inzamam-ul-Haq Enclosure
- Imran Khan Enclosure
- Hanif Muhammed Enclosure
- Mushtaq Ahmed Enclosure
Multan Cricket Stadium – Seating Capacity
PCB uses Multan Cricket Stadium for domestic and international cricket matches. It is renovated and upgraded to provide a better cricket viewing experience. As of now, the seating capacity of Multan cricket stadium is 30,000.
Multan Cricket Stadium – Pitch Report
The pitch report of the Multan Cricket Stadium varies from match to match, as, for some matches, the pitch is kept flat with no grass to benefit the batters, while on some other days, it might be a little grassy to support bowlers.
Batters enjoy batting on the pitch in Multan, especially on days two and three. Spinners tend to benefit on the fourth and fifth days due to the rough patches created by the dryness in the pitch.
Multan Cricket Stadium – Weather
Multan features a hot desert climate with scorching summers and mild winters. The standard annual precipitation measures 186 millimeters (7.3 in).
Multan is known for having some of the hottest weather in Pakistan. The highest recorded temperature is approximately 52 °C (126 °F), and the lowest recorded temperature is approximately −1 °C (30 °F). Now, the stadium fits perfect for hosting cricket matches from January to March.
Multan Cricket Stadium – Stats and Records
Multan Cricket Stadium is one of the appropriate grounds for hosting cricket matches with impressive audience accommodation capacity. It has hosted many cricket matches in different periods. Some of the best records in this stadium are:-
- First Test Pakistan v Bangladesh – Aug 29-31, 2001;
- Last Test Pakistan v England – Dec 9-12, 2022.
- First ODI Pakistan v Bangladesh – Sep 9, 2003;
- Last ODI Pakistan v West Indies – Jun 12, 2022.
The average Test, ODI, and T20i scores at Multan cricket stadium are as follows:
Test
- Average 1st Inns score: 344
- Average 2nd Inns score: 427
- Average 3rd Inns score: 264
- Average 4th Inns score: 218
ODI
- Average 1st Inns score: 254
- Average 2nd Inns score: 206
Highest total
India’s 675/5 against Pakistan in March 2004 is the highest Test total at the Multan Cricket Stadium. On the back of Virender Sehwag’s triple-century and a 348-ball 194 from Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian cricket team amassed the score in the first two days.
West Indies is second with a score of 591. Pakistan is third on the list, having made 546/3.
Lowest total
Bangladesh has the three lowest totals at the Multan Cricket Stadium, with scores of 134, 148, and 154, respectively. Pakistan’s lowest was 175 in September 2003 against the Bengal Tigers.
Pakistan bowled out England at175 at this venue by Pakistan in November 2005.
Highest individual score
Virender Sehwag, the former Indian cricketer, has the highest individual score at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The opening batter smashed 309 runs off 375 balls in March 2004, which included 39 fours and six sixes. He is the only triple-centurion in Tests at the venue.
Brain Lara of the West Indies is the only other double-centurion here. He scored a 262-ball 216 in November 2006. Mohammad Yousuf has three 100+ scores, the most by any player in Tests here.
Best bowling figures
Abrar Ahmed of Pakistan, making his debut, picked up seven wickets while conceding 114 runs against England in December 2022. It is the best bowling figure at the venue in Test matches.
Danish Kaneria and Anil Kumble have picked up six wickets in an innings at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Kaneria achieved this feat twice in one match against Bangladesh in August 2001. He also has a five-wicket haul in a Test innings at this stadium.
Meanwhile, Kumble’s six-for enabled India to win by an innings and 52 runs against Pakistan in March 2004.
Most Runs
Pakistan’s former middle-order batter Mohammad Yousuf has scored the most runs in Tests at the Multan Cricket Stadium. While averaging 86.16, he amassed 517 runs.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former Pakistan captain, and Virender Sehwag are among the top run-getters.
Most Wickets
Danish Kaneria, the Karachi-born leg spinner, scalped 22 wickets in three matches, the most by a player in Tests here. He has registered three five-wicket hauls (in an innings) and one 10-wicket haul (in a Test) at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan’s Shabbir Ahmed, who has picked 12 wickets, is the only player with 10-plus wickets in the most extended format at this stadium.
Highest Partnership
Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar added 336 runs for the third wicket in March 2004 against Pakistan. It remains the highest partnership at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Test cricket.
West Indies Brian Lara and Dwayne Bravo have registered the only other double-century partnership at the venue, accumulating 200 runs in November 2006.
Multan Cricket Stadium – Tickets Price
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.
Multan Cricket Stadium Tickets Booking
You can book tickets online with these simple steps.
Here’s how you can book your tickets for the upcoming matches:
- Head to pcb.bookme.pk to see the upcoming matches.
- Select the match you want to book tickets for.
- A new screen will slide out from the right side of the screen, showing the number of seats available in different enclosures.
- Once you select the enclosure, a new window will open where you can select the seats available.
- Click on the seat you want to book.
- Confirm your booking by clicking the “Book ME” button on the right.
- Enter your Name, Email address, Phone Number, and CNIC.
- Enter the OTP you received on your phone.
- Select your payment method and finalize the booking.
PSL in Multan Cricket Stadium
Pakistan cricket board established Multan Cricket Stadium to meet the standards for hosting cricket and facilitating foreign players with the best. It gained immense importance when it became the home ground for the PSL franchise Multan Sultans.
PSL has contributed a lot to the grandeur of this stadium. All the matches were played in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore or Karachi National Stadium, but things have changed. PCB announced in April 2018 that they would renovate other venues and several stadiums. The initiative was to make them fit for future international matches and Pakistan Super League.
This stadium hosted its first PSL match on 26 February 2020 between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi. In PSL 2020, this stadium hosted three matches. PCB upgraded the stadium to prepare it for hosting some of the matches of PSL 8. Cricket enthusiasts from Pakistan eagerly await to witness PSL Teams play the exciting matches conducted at Multan Cricket Stadium.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cricket stadium is the biggest in Pakistan?
Pakistan has many cricket stadiums. In the list of the biggest cricket stadiums, Multan Cricket stadium is the second biggest cricket stadium in the country, with a capacity of 30,000 spectators, a well-maintained pitch, and lush green grass outfields.
What is the name of Multan Cricket Stadium?
Multan Cricket Stadium has replaced the Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium to meet the need for a well-furnished and well-equipped stadium. Originally known as the Old Fort Stadium, the Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Multan, Pakistan, used for football and cricket. PCB organizes Different domestic and international matches.
Summary
Multan Cricket Stadium has gradually evolved throughout its history. The stadium’s building, view, location, sitting capacity, and pitch report meet the expectations for hosting domestic and international cricket matches. This article is a complete overview of Multan Cricket Stadium, its facts, and its records. Book your PSL tickets now to have the experience of witnessing a cricket match at Multan Cricket Stadium.