Ekana Cricket Stadium: Pitch Report – Bowling and Batting, Records & Stats

By: Cricbites | September 23, 2025

Ekana International Cricket Stadium is a famous cricket stadium located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Since its establishment, the stadium has emerged as one of the most important grounds in Indian cricket, hosting matches and IPL matches. Known for its excellent design, Ekana Stadium provides players with a pitch that is beneficial for both batsmen and bowlers.

In this blog post, we will explore every detail of Ekana Cricket Stadium to give cricket fans and analysts a detailed overview of the venue.

History and Background

The Ekana Cricket Stadium was inaugurated in 2017 and has a capacity of around 50,000 spectators. The stadium is home to the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, which has brought considerable attention to the venue. Over the years, it has hosted several ODI, T20I and Test matches. Its pitch and ground conditions have been extensively analysed by players and experts.

The stadium’s outfield is known for being fast and true, which allows for high-scoring games. While the pitch does provide some assistance to the bowlers, it is mainly in the opening overs.

Pitch Report

Nature of the Pitch

The pitch at Ekana Stadium is considered to be balanced, which helps both batsmen and bowlers. Matches played here often see high-scoring games, especially in the limited-overs format. The pitch generally favours the following:

Pace bowlers in the early overs due to some seam and bounce.
Spin bowlers in the middle and later stages of the game as the pitch slows down slightly.
Batsmen for stroke play, especially in shorter formats, given the true bounce and predictable surface.

Batting Conditions

The Ekana Cricket Stadium has seen some explosive batting performances in ODIs and T20Is. Batsmen benefit from:

True bounce: The bounce is consistent, allowing stroke players to time the ball effectively.
Fast outfield: Drives and boundaries are easier to accumulate due to the quick outfield.
Good visibility and lighting in night matches, making it easier for batsmen to pick up the ball.

Key batting factors:

Openers have often taken advantage of the first 5 overs to score quick runs.
In ODIs, scores of 300+ are achievable, while in T20s, totals in the 180–200 range are competitive.
Spin-friendly middle overs require batsmen to rotate the strike and play cautiously.

Bowling Conditions

The Ekana pitch does offer some help for bowlers, particularly:

Seam bowlers: Early morning or evening matches see some movement off the seam, aiding swing bowlers.
Spin bowlers: In the latter half of the innings, spinners get purchase from the pitch, especially on drier surfaces.
Death bowling: Bowlers can use the bounce and carry to execute yorkers and slower deliveries effectively.

Overall, bowling at Ekana Stadium demands precision and patience, as a few loose balls can be punished by aggressive batsmen.

Records and Stats

Test Matches

Format	First Match	Last Match / Only Test
Test	Afghanistan vs West Indies – Nov 27–29, 2019	Only Test

ODIs

Format	First ODI	Last ODI
ODI	Afghanistan vs West Indies – Nov 06, 2019	Netherlands vs Afghanistan – Nov 03, 2023

T20Is

Format	First T20I	Last T20I
T20I	India vs West Indies – Nov 06, 2018	New Zealand vs India – Jan 29, 2023

WODIs (Women’s ODIs)

Format	First WODI	Last WODI
WODI	India Women vs South Africa Women – Mar 07, 2021	India Women vs South Africa Women – Mar 17, 2021

WT20Is (Women’s T20Is)

Format	First WT20I	Last WT20I
WT20I	India Women vs South Africa Women – Mar 20, 2021	South Africa Women vs India Women – Mar 23, 2021

Even though Ekana is new, it has already seen great performances in international and domestic cricket. Below are the key records:

Notable Matches at Ekana Stadium

India vs England, ODI 2018 India posted a mammoth total of 376/5, showcasing the batting-friendly nature of the pitch. England fell short despite its effort, highlighting how high scores can be defended if the bowling is disciplined.
LSG vs KKR, IPL 2022 KL Rahul played a stunning 127, guiding his team to a huge 211/4, proving the stadium is a great venue for power hitters.
India vs Afghanistan, T20I 2025 The match saw fast outfield runs and sped up bowling. It also has the home team posting 212/3 and successfully defending the total.

Pitch Trends

Over the years, Ekana Stadium has shown some consistent trends:

Batting-friendly: Especially in T20s and ODIs, with a tendency to support high totals.
Fast bowlers early, spinners later: Seamers get early movement while spinners benefit in the latter half.
Balanced outcomes: Winning toss and deciding whether to bat or bowl can influence the match, but the pitch does not favor one discipline.

Strategy for Teams at Ekana Stadium

Batting Strategy

Utilize the powerplay overs effectively, as the pitch supports stroke play.
Middle-order batsmen should rotate strike and target specific bowlers.
In T20s, focus on launching after 6 overs, taking advantage of the fast outfield.

Bowling Strategy

Bowlers should attack the stumps and maintain tight lines in the powerplay.
Spinners need to vary pace and use flight to induce mistakes in the middle overs.
Death bowling requires a combination of yorkers, slower balls, and bouncers, as batsmen are aggressive on this pitch.

Conclusion

The Ekana Cricket Stadium has quickly established itself as one of India’s premier cricket venues. Its balanced pitch, fast outfield and modern facilities make it ideal for both high-scoring contests. With teams batting second having a slight advantage, matches here are often unpredictable.

As the stadium continues to host IPL, ODI, T20I and other major matches, it will remain a favourite among players and fans alike. Whether you are a bowler, batsman or cricket strategist, it is important to know the pitch conditions before any match.

FAQs

Q1. What is the seating capacity of Ekana Cricket Stadium?

The stadium can accommodate approximately 50,000 spectators, making it one of the largest cricket venues in India.

Q2. Which team calls Ekana Stadium its home in IPL?

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are the home team in the IPL and play most of their home matches at this stadium.

Q3. What is the highest individual score recorded here?

The highest individual score is 175 runs scored by Chris Gayle for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors during an IPL match on 23/04/2013.

Q4. Does batting first or second have an advantage at Ekana Stadium?

Teams batting second have a slight advantage, winning about 53% of matches, although the pitch remains balanced.

Q5. What is the average first innings score at Ekana Stadium?

The average first innings score at this stadium is 166.26, making it high-scoring in T20s and ODIs.