The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, also known as the I.S Bindra Stadium, Mohali, has many great matches and records of many players who are not just Indians but also overseas. Most pitches have something to offer for the bowler or the batsmen, but the Bindra stadium is actually one of the most balanced pitches there is, as it has something to offer for both sides.
You probably don’t even know about the matches, but some of the most beautiful run chases and scores from your favorite player have been done on this cricket ground. One of the most notable innings I can recall is Rohit Sharma’s 3rd double-hundred against Sri Lanka. As we proceed, we will unfold all there is about this wonderful stadium, along with some key details.
Some of the famous matches
As I have mentioned before, the first match we all may recall would be the Sri Lanka vs India, ODI match where Rohit scored his 208 not out. It was the 2nd ODI of the series, and India posted a mammoth 392 runs. The men in blues ended up winning that match by 141 runs, which is the 2nd highest margin of victory in ODIs in that stadium.
Also, back when it was called the Mohali stadium mainly, you may recall that nail-biting India vs Pakistan match in 2007 when Pakistan toured, where India posted a total of 321 runs, and Pakistan chased it down quite comfortably till the very end. The match was a pure display of Batting prowess from the little master, Sachin Tendulkar’s 99 complemented by Gambhir’s 50, but these innings were all outdone, courtesy of Younis Khan’s 117 and a late flurry of runs from Misbah and Afridi.
Many of the recent matches that you recall would be Afghanistan vs. India, the T20 game, and the ODI match against Australia after the World Cup. Both of which India won convincingly.
The records on this stadium are based on formats: Pitch Report and Analysis
The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium was established in 1993. It is a stadium that has floodlights that can accommodate over 26,000 visitors. The Curator of the Bindra Stadium’s pitch is Baljit Singh, and the names of its ends are Pavillion End and City End. The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium is one of the more prioritized grounds during any long series of India.
Let us now go through some of the stats of the Bindra stadium so that you understand the heritage of the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium compared to other stadiums.
The Bindra Stadium is one of the more balanced grounds in World Cricket, which is what we will see now.
One day Cricket
There have been 27 ODI matches played on this ground, and out of this lot, 15 have been batting first, and 12 have been won Bowling first. Depending on which part of your team is more dominant, whether batting or bowling, may help you decide the toss instead of the pitch condition.
The Average first innings score of this ground is around 265 runs, while the 2nd average 2nd innings score is 230 runs. That mammoth total, which I have mentioned against Sri Lanka, was the highest ever total. The highest total that has been chased was done by Australia. It is actually one of my favorite games of the Aussies as it was brutal dominance in the 2nd half of the game where they chased down India’s 358 score in just 47.5 overs courtesy of Usman Khawaja’s 91 and Hansdcomb’s 117.
The pitch also can offer plenty to the bowlers as the lowest total ever recorded on this ground has 89 all out by Pakistan against South Africa as Makhaya Ntini and Charl Langelveldt went all guns blazing with their pace attack.
T20 Cricket
In the T20Is, it is pretty much even, Steven, as ten matches have been, 5 of which have won bat first and the other five while bowling first. 180-200+ scores are a pretty rare feature for this ground as it has a lot to offer for the seamers and spinners. We can see an excellent example of this in the last T20i match of India vs Afghanistan, where India restricted Afghanis to just 158 runs, which the men in blues chased down quite comfortably in just 17.3 overs. This clearly speaks about the average first innings score of 167 and 2nd innings score of 153.
But, when the pitch has to offer for batters, then it quite likely provides for both sides the highest total record, which is done by India, with 211 runs, which scored while chasing Sri Lanka’s 207 target.
Test Cricket
And just like T20 Cricket, it is somewhat even-steven in Test cricket, as the matches have been tied, won, and lost all in relatively equal numbers. There have been 14 test matches played here where four have been won bat first and 5 through bowling first. The average 4th Innings score in this pitch is just 129 runs, which starts from Day 3. The pitch has a lot to offer for the bowlers, but initially, the batters can score a decent amount of runs as the average first innings score is 370 runs.
And, since the pitch gets a lot easier for the bowlers at the end, especially the spinners, it also gets quite tricky to chase down low-scoring totals as most Indians can recall that test match against South Africa where in the 4th innings the proteas were all out for courtesy of Spin Wizardry from Ashwin and Jadeja. And, as I have, the pitch is well-balanced for the batters in the first half; the highest-ever 1st innings scored on this ground is 630 runs by the Kiwis. There were four centurions in that inning.
This actually means that the pitch has a lot to offer for the seamers at the beginning of the match. Still, in time, the pitch starts to behave more like a flat track, contributing more to the batters during the middle phase of the game, and at the end phase of the game, the pitch has to a lot to offer for the bowlers in death bowling. And we are seeing this in the case of all the formats.
We hope to see more test matches on this competitive ground, as the test match was held back in March 2022 against Sri Lanka.
The facilities of the Stadium
The stadium is built around all that is to offer to accommodate the players and the fans. For the fans, it can accommodate over 26,000 spectators maximum of 30,000, which includes unobstructed view seats and VIP boxes. It has various practice nets and pitches outside the ground. The stadium consists of a Health Club where there are gym facilities, a swimming pool, a banquet hall, a restaurant, and residential accommodation facilities.
The stadium also consists of modern tech floodlights, but it has shown its fair share of criticism as the height of the floodlights has been known to be low. The stadium has significant space for parking facilities, medical facilities for accidents, and facilities for disabled people.
Players who enjoy this ground
Even though there haven’t been enough matches as the ground deserves to be, there are still a few names who genuinely enjoy this ground, first as you know, know is definitely Rohit Sharma since the great man has 410 runs in just five innings where he has scored a scored, a double hundred and two fifties.
In Test Cricket, it is the Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored 767 runs in 18 innings, averaging over 47. Lastly, in T20is, it is the GOAT Virat Kohli who has scored 156 runs in just three innings, averaging 156 runs and having a highest score of 82.
Now, as for the leading run scorers of this ground, it is dominated by the Punjab Kings players as Shaun Marsh is the maximum runs scorer in this ground as well as the only player to have reached the 1000 runs mark, having 1064 runs followed by Miller’s 645 runs, Gayle’s 573 runs and KL Rahul’s 448.
To Conclude!
Thus, to have an overall grasp, the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, also known as the I.S Bindra Stadium, epitomizes the essence of cricketing heritage in India. With its balanced pitches catering to both batsmen and bowlers alike, it has witnessed historic matches and remarkable individual performances. From Rohit Sharma’s monumental double century to Sachin Tendulkar’s sublime innings and Virat Kohli’s commanding presence, the stadium has witnessed cricket’s greatness. Despite criticisms regarding floodlight height, the stadium’s facilities cater comprehensively to the needs of players and fans. As it hosts gripping contests and nurtures cricketing talent, the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium remains a cornerstone of the sport’s legacy in the region.
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