Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report: Batting or Bowling, Weather & Match Insights for ICC T20 World Cup 2026

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Published - Feb 19, 2026, 09:03 AM

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Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

Srilanka

Summary

The Palekelle International Cricket Stadium pitch report reflects a generally balanced surface that offers something for both batters and bowlers, especially in limited-overs formats. The pitch at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium tends to be true early on, allowing batters to play through the line, while spinners come into play as the match progresses due to the dry nature of the track.

The pitch at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is widely regarded as a well-balanced surface that changes its nature as the match progresses. In the early phase, the wicket offers assistance to seamers, with the new ball generating swing and seam movement. During this period, the bounce remains true, allowing batters to play through the line confidently.

As the match moves into the middle overs, the surface begins to slow down, reducing pace off the pitch and bringing cutters, slower deliveries, and variations into play for pacers, while spinners start extracting grip and occasional turn. In terms of scoring patterns, Pallekele typically produces first-innings totals of around 320–330 in Tests, 250–280 in ODIs, and 160–170 in T20s.

Pitch Type	Generally balanced surface which offers early assistance to seamers before settling into a slower track
Early Overs	New-ball bowlers enjoy swing and seam movement. The ball comes nicely onto the bat, allowing stroke-play once batters get set.
Middle Overs	Pitch begins to slow down; cutters and slower deliveries become effective. Spinners start finding grip and turn
Average Score	Test: Around 320–330 runs, ODI: 250–280 runs, T20: 160–170 runs
Average 1st Innings Score	Test: 323, ODI: 245, T20: 168
Batting or Bowling Friendly	Balanced early with a slight tilt towards bowling later in the match, particularly for spinners and variation-based pacers.
Pace or Spin Friendly	Early help for pace due to swing and seam; strong spin assistance during middle and late stages as the surface slows.
Best Suited For	Teams with quality spinners for the middle overs, and batters who can adapt to changing pace and bounce.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Overview

Stadium Name	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Location	Pallekele, Sri Lanka
Established	2009
Seating Capacity	Around 35,000
Boundary Size	Approximately 80 meters straight; 75 meters square
Weather Impact	Day games are usually played under clear to partly cloudy skies, while evening and night matches often see dew becoming a significant factor.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

According to the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium pitch report today, the track usually begins on a balanced note, helping batters settle in and play their shots. As the match progresses, the surface starts to lose its initial pace, allowing spinners and bowlers using cutters and slower balls to have a greater impact.

Pitch Behaviour	A generally balanced surface that offers movement for seamers before settling into a slightly slower track.
Best Suited To	Teams with a complete bowling attack, with new-ball seamers, spinners to control the middle overs, and pacers skilled in variations.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Record

T20 matches at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, which is one of the most beautiful cricket stadiums in the world, have showcased a wide range of totals. The ground has seen Australia post a massive 263/3 against Sri Lanka, and the same venue has also exposed batting line-ups under tougher conditions, with New Zealand being dismissed for just 88 by Sri Lanka.

Highest Total Recorded (T20)	263/3	By Australia against Sri Lanka
Lowest Total Recorded (T20)	88/10	By New Zealand against Sri Lanka
Highest Score Chased (T20)	184/2	By Sri Lanka against Australia
Lowest Score Defended (T20)	133/10	By Sri Lanka against England

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Average Score (Overall T20I)

Average First Innings Score	168
Average Second Innings Score	146
Chasing Win Percentage	44%

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report Last 5 Matches

Average First Innings	171
Average Second Innings	143
Highest Successful Chase	184
Chasing Win Percentage	40% (2 wins chasing out of last 5 matches)

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Weather Details

The weather in Pallekele 10 days is expected to remain cloudy with light chances of rain and scattered thunderstorms at times. Daytime temperatures in Pallekele are likely to be around 24°C, while nights might dip to around 19°C. Humidity levels are expected to stay very high, often above 80%. So, rain might play a spoilsport in the next few days.

Temperature	21°C
Humidity	90%
Probability of Rain	20%
Wind Speed	8 km/h

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium ODI & T20 Stats

Parameter	ODI	T20I
Total Matches	48	32
Matches Won Batting First	18	16
Matches Won Bowling First	27	13
Average 1st Innings Score	245	168
Average 2nd Innings Score	204	146
Highest Total Recorded	381/3 (Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan)	263/3 (Australia vs Sri Lanka)
Lowest Total Recorded	70/10 (Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka)	88/10 (New Zealand vs Sri Lanka)
Highest Score Chased	314/6 (Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan)	184/2 (Sri Lanka vs Australia)
Lowest Score Defended	206/9 (West Indies vs Sri Lanka)	133/10 (Sri Lanka vs England)

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Test Stats & Records

Total Matches	9
Matches Won Batting First	4
Matches Won Bowling First	1
Average 1st Innings Score	323
Average 2nd Innings Score	317
Average 3rd Innings Score	273
Average 4th Innings Score	241
Highest Total Recorded	648/8 (179 Overs) by SL vs BAN
Lowest Total Recorded	117/10 (34.2 Overs) by SL vs AUS
Highest Score Chased	382/3 (103.1 Overs) by PAK vs SL
Lowest Score Defended	161/10 (88.3 Overs) by AUS vs SL