Multan Cricket Stadium
| MCS | |
 Interior view of the stadium | |
| Ground information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Multan, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 30°10′15″N 71°31′29″E / 30.17083°N 71.52472°E |
| Establishment | 2001 |
| Capacity | 35,000[1] |
| Owner | Pakistan Cricket Board |
| Operator | Southern Punjab Cricket Association |
| Tenants | Pakistan national cricket team Southern Punjab cricket team Multan Sultans Multan cricket team |
| End names | |
| Main Pavilion End North Pavilion End | |
| International information | |
| First Test | 29–31 August 2001: Pakistan v  Bangladesh |
| Last Test | 9–12 December 2022: Pakistan v  England |
| First ODI | 9 September 2003: Pakistan v Bangladesh |
| Last ODI | 30 August 2023: Pakistan v  Nepal |
| As of 30 August 2023 Source: Multan Cricket Stadium, Cricinfo | |
The Multan Cricket Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan, owned by the Pakistan Cricket Board.[2] The stadium is located off Vehari Road, in the suburbs of Multan. It can host 35,000 spectators.[1] The stadium hosted its first Test match in August 2001, when Pakistan faced Bangladesh in the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship.[3]
The stadium is also able to hold day-night matches with a set of floodlights installed at the venue.
History[edit]
The ground was inaugurated in 2001 as a replacement for the Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium located at that time in the center of Multan. The first Test match at the stadium took place in August 2001 between Pakistan and Bangladesh, while the first One Day International was held on 9 September 2003 between the same teams. Floodlights were later installed to make day/night cricket matches possible. The first day/night game played here was between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on 16 February 2006.[4]
Return of international cricket[edit]
In April 2018, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the venue, along with several others in the country, would get a makeover to get them ready for future international matches and fixtures in the Pakistan Super League.[5]
This stadium hosted its first Pakistan Super League match on 26 February 2020 between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi. This stadium hosted three matches during the 2020 Pakistan Super League. It is the home ground of Mohammad Rizwan-led Multan Sultans.
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.[6]
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.[7]
In 2023 edition of Pakistan Super League Multan hosted 5 matches including opening match between Lahore and Multan.
Multan hosted the opening match of the 2023 Asia Cup, between the hosts and Nepal.[8]
Asia’s biggest event Asia Cup 2023 was hosted by the stadium from 30 August 2023.The First match was played in Pakistan after 15 long years of waiting. The inaugural match was played between Nepal and Pakistan. Asia Cup started with a wonderful opening ceremony, Nepali Singer Trishala Guru and Pakistani Singer Aima Baig performed well with their melody voices.
Enclosures[edit]
- The Great Imran Khan Enclosure[9]
- Javed Miandad Enclosure[9]
- Zaheer Abbas Enclosure[9]
- Waqar Younis Enclosure[9]
- Inzamam-ul-Haq Enclosure[9]
- Fazal Mahmood Enclosure[9]
Records[edit]
Test[edit]
- Highest team total: 675/5d, by
India against 
Pakistan in March 2004.[10] - Lowest team total: 134, by
Bangladesh against Pakistan in August 2001.[10] - Highest run chase achieved: 262/9, Pakistan against Bangladesh in September 2001.[11]
- Highest score: 309, by Virender Sehwag against Pakistan in March 2004.[12]
- Most runs: 517, in 7 innings by Mohammad Yousuf from 2001–2006.[13]
- Highest partnership: 336, for the 3rd wicket by Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar against Pakistan in March 2004.[14]
- Best bowling: 7/114, by Abrar Ahmed against
England in December 2022.[15] - Most wickets: 22, in 5 innings by Danish Kaneria from 2001–2006.[16]
One Day International[edit]
- Highest team total: 342/6, by Pakistan against
Nepal in August 2023.[17] - Lowest team total: 104, by Nepal against Pakistan in August 2023.[17]
- Highest run chase achieved: 306/5, Pakistan against
West Indies in June 2022.[18] - Highest score: 151, by Babar Azam against Nepal in August 2023.[17]
- Most runs: 332, in 4 innings by Babar Azam from 2022 - 2023.[19]
- Highest partnership: 214, for the 5th wicket by Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed against Nepal in August 2023.[17]
- Best bowling: 4/19, by Mohammad Nawaz against West Indies in June 2022.[20]
- Most wickets: 11, in 4 innings by Shadab Khan from 2022 - 2023.[21]
See also[edit]
- Pakistan Cricket Board
- List of Test cricket grounds
- List of stadiums in Pakistan
- List of cricket grounds in Pakistan
- List of sports venues in Karachi
- List of sports venues in Lahore
- List of sports venues in Faisalabad
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Multan Cricket Stadium | Pakistan | Cricket Grounds | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo.
- ^ "PCB team to visit Bugti Stadium next week". Pakistan Cricket Board. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Pakistan ground guide: Multan". 21 October 2005 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of Pakistan vs India 4th ODI 2005/06 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Pakistan plans makeover for stadiums". International Cricket Council. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "A peak into history of international cricket at MCS". Pakistan Cricket Board. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "England to play Tests in Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi in December". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Pakistan bat first against Nepal on 'dry and shiny' Multan pitch". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "Multan all set to host first Test". DAWN.COM. 26 March 2004.
- ^ a b "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of Bangladesh vs Pakistan 3rd Test 2003 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of West Indies vs Pakistan 1st ODI 2022 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Multan Cricket Stadium Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.