Shere Bangla National Stadium        

Mirpur,
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Records and statistics

Profile

The Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, named after AK Fazlul Haque, one of the country's most renowned leaders and freedom fighters in the 1940s, is situated about 10 kilometres outside the centre of Dhaka. The move from the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka to Mirpur was met with much resistance, but the BCB had decided they needed a stadium dedicated exclusively to cricket, and carried on despite criticism.

The most striking feature of the ground is the drainage facility which is probably the best in the subcontinent. The ground was originally built for football and athletics and was hence rectangular in shape. To bring it back to a shape suited for cricket, a lot of demolition had to be done, and also the athletics tracks had to be dug up. About three feet of soil was excavated to remove all the red clay. PVC pipes were fit in before filling it up with rock chips and sand and then grass. The slope is nice and even, a difference of 29 inches from the wicket to the boundary.

The ground hosted its first Test when Bangladesh played India in May 2007; a timely start was made possible because of the efficient drainage after heavy overnight showers. The wicket was pretty flat and slow, but that could have more to do with the home team's mindset of not expecting to win.

The floodlights have to be changed - currently they have the ones used for football matches. Although not completely ready yet, the stadium looks impressive, and should become one of the more noted venues in the subcontinent.

The triangular spaces under the stands outside have been used for furniture shops. The grassless plot next to the ground, which plays venue to about 20 simultaneous matches with a tape-tennis ball every evening and morning, adds to the stadium's reputation of being the home of Bangladesh cricket's new home.
Sidharth Monga May 2007

Fixtures

2021
Sun May 23 (20 ovs)           14:30 local | 08:30 GMT 04:30 EDT | 03:30 CDT | 01:30 PDT	1st ODI - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
Tue May 25 (20 ovs)           14:30 local | 08:30 GMT 04:30 EDT | 03:30 CDT | 01:30 PDT	2nd ODI - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
Fri May 28 (20 ovs)           14:30 local | 08:30 GMT 04:30 EDT | 03:30 CDT | 01:30 PDT	3rd ODI - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
- Day and Night - International Matches - Covered by Cricinfo
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Latest Articles

• ICC upholds Mirpur pitch's sanctions (Mar 16, 2018)
• BCB appeals against ICC's 'below average' rating for Mirpur pitch (Feb 28, 2018)
• Mirpur stadium wins the race to 100 (Jan 14, 2018)
• ICC rates Dhaka outfield 'poor' for Australia Test (Sep 14, 2017)
• My evening on Bangladesh's most storied cricket pitch (Nov 10, 2015)

Latest Photos

Aug 16, 2020

A kid in a mask plays cricket outside the Shere Bangla in Mirpur
© Getty Images

Feb 14, 2018

Both pitches in the recently concluded Bangladesh - Sri Lanka Test series have been rated "below average" by the ICC
© ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Dec 10, 2017

Two spectators take cover in Mirpur after rain stopped play
© Raton Gomes

Oct 6, 2016

A helicopter takes part in a security exercise in Dhaka
© Getty Images