Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

The only cricket ground located in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium is one of the country's newest elite venues for the sport. 

The Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium can hold as many as 30,000 cricket fans and it has been hosting ODIs since March 2001.  

However, controversy over the floodlights at the Dambulla ground meant that there was a long delay before matches could return here. 

Now capable of hosting day-night games with no issue, Dambulla is where Sri Lankan great Tillakaratne Dilshan played his final one day international. Lasith Malinga also played his 200th ODI match for Sri Lanka on this ground, as did the Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga.  

Farveez Maharoof (Sri Lanka) and Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh) have both taken hat-tricks here. 

Sri Lanka's domestic T20 tournament, the Lanka Premier League, is largely played in Dambulla. 

In 2024, the Dambulla stadium opened a new hydrotherapy unit and a state-of-the-art medical centre, with President Ranil Wickremesinghe on hand to cut the ribbons. 

Read our Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium pitch report and get all the details about the ground, including stats and matches.  

Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium Pitch Report

Dambulla is known for a bowler-friendly pitch, with seamers tending to thrive in morning sessions. This is because of the high-water table, but as matches go on spin has more impact. 

The Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium pitch report shows the surface can start to crumble and break down, giving more assistance to the spinners. 

Spin's impact was seen by Sri Lanka's big win against West Indies at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in 2024, when the visitors were bowled out for just 89. 

However, it is a pace bowler - Matheesha Pathirana, the 'Baby Malinga' - who has the best limited-overs figures at Dambulla having taken 4-24 in a T20I against Afghanistan. 

Pathan Nissanka is one of a trio of players to have scored a T20I century on this ground. 

During 2024, the average first innings score in T20s at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium was over 191, so it is possible to pile up large totals on this ground. 

Fast bowlers have the highest economy rate on this ground, with batters able to get them away. But they have some of the lowest bowling averages, so they are still a wicket-taking threat here. 

FAQs