Barabati Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Cuttack, Odisha, India, used mainly for cricket and association football, and named after the historic Barabati Fort located nearby. It is owned and operated by the Odisha Cricket Association (via the Odisha Olympic Association) and is the home ground of the Odisha cricket team.
Quick Facts
| Location | Biju Patnaik Colony, Cuttack, Odisha |
| Established | 1958 |
| Capacity | 45,000 |
| Owner/Operator | Odisha Cricket Association / Odisha Olympic Association |
| Home team | Odisha cricket team |
| First ODI | January 1982, India vs England |
| First Test | January 1987, India vs Sri Lanka |
| First T20I | 22 December 2017, India vs Sri Lanka |
History
Built in 1958 as a multi-purpose sporting complex, Barabati Stadium initially hosted football, athletics, and cultural events before cricket facilities were upgraded in the late 1970s to meet international standards. Before hosting its first international match, the ground had already staged tour games for sides including the MCC, West Indies, and Australia.
Its first ODI, played in January 1982, was only the third ODI ever held in India; the hosts defeated England by five wickets to seal the series. The stadium’s first Test came five years later against Sri Lanka, a match remembered for Dilip Vengsarkar’s then-career-best 166 and Kapil Dev’s 300th Test wicket. A second Test, against New Zealand in 1995–96, was heavily affected by rain.
Though no longer a frequent Test venue, Barabati remains a regular ODI and T20I host, and also served as an IPL home ground for the Deccan Chargers in 2012.
Notable Events
- 1987 and 1996 Cricket World Cups – Hosted group-stage matches in both editions.
- 19 January 2017 – India’s 381/6 against England featured a 256-run fourth-wicket stand between Yuvraj Singh (150) and MS Dhoni (134) — the last international centuries for both players.
- 1998 – Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja’s unbroken 275-run partnership against Zimbabwe set a world record for the highest fourth-wicket stand (and highest unbroken partnership) in ODI history at the time.
- 2012 – The Odisha Cricket Association named the stadium’s indoor cricket hall after Sachin Tendulkar.
Records
- Highest ODI total: 381/6, India vs England (2017).
- Highest individual Test score: Mohammad Azharuddin, 153* (vs Zimbabwe, ODI).
- Most ODI runs at the venue: Sachin Tendulkar, 469 runs.
- Most wickets at the venue: Anil Kumble, Ishant Sharma, and Ajit Agarkar, each with 7 wickets.
- India has not lost an ODI at Barabati in over 15 years as of recent seasons, maintaining an 11–4 overall win–loss record.
Facilities
The stadium’s two ends are known as the Mahanadi River End (Corporate Box End) and the Pavilion End. It also hosts the Santosh Trophy national football tournament and Odisha’s state football league matches.
Access
Barabati Stadium is located in central Cuttack, roughly an hour’s drive from Bhubaneswar, a factor that has occasionally affected touring teams’ logistics.
Related Stadiums
- Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati — another eastern India international cricket venue.
- JSCA Stadium, Ranchi — a fellow East Zone Test-capable ground.
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata — the region’s most historic and largest cricket venue.
- Keenan Stadium, Jamshedpur — another long-standing eastern India cricket ground.
One Comment