It is rare that international teams have to travel a distance of less than 150 km between two venues in India. On the travelling front, India and Sri Lanka should consider themselves fortunate for they are playing back-to-back T20Is in Mumbai and Pune with only a one-day break in between.
Advertisement
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, which had last hosted an international match around 21 months ago, will be hosting a T20I after three years. India, who’ve played each of the three T20Is conducted here in the past, have won two and lost one.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have won and lost a T20I each at this stadium. Interestingly, Sri Lanka’s last T20I victory against India in India had come in Pune some seven years ago. Barring captain Dasun Shanaka and fast bowler Kasun Rajitha, no other player of the current squad had participated in that match under Dinesh Chandimal’s captaincy.
MCA Stadium Pune T20 records
Highest T20I run-scorers at the MCA Stadium are Shikhar Dhawan (61), Dhananjaya de Silva (57), Alex Hales (56), KL Rahul (54) and Yuvraj Singh (48). Shanaka (12), Avishka Fernando (9) and Hardik Pandya (2) are the other players part of the current squads to have played a Pune T20I in the past.
Highest wicket-takers in Pune T20Is are Shanaka (3), Yuvraj (3), Navdeep Saini (3), Rajitha (3), Lakshan Sandakan (3) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3). Washington Sundar (2), Wanindu Hasaranga (1) and Lahiru Kumara (1) have also picked T20I wickets here.
Highest T20I innings totals at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
| Team | Score | Overs | Opposition | Year |
| India | 201/6 | 20 | Sri Lanka | 2020 |
| India | 158/5 | 17.5 | England | 2012 |
| England | 157/6 | 20 | India | 2012 |
| Sri Lanka | 123 | 15.5 | India | 2020 |
| Sri Lanka | 105/5 | 18 | India | 2016 |
200+ T20I innings total has been registered only once in six innings at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. While the first two matches were won by teams batting second, the last one was won by the team batting first.
ALSO READ: India vs Sri Lanka 2nd T20I pitch report
The above mentioned second-highest innings total is also the highest successful T20I run-chase at this venue. It was in the inaugural Pune T20I when the hosts had chased down a 158-target without much discomfort.
