History

“The stadium was first built for football in the late 1980s and hosted the 1987 Asian Club Championship and the 1988–89 Asian Club Championship for the first time. The venue was taken over by the Bangladesh Cricket Board in 2004, replacing the Bangabandhu National Stadium, and became home to the men’s and women’s national teams. The dimensions of the stadium are 186 m × 136 m.

The first international match at the stadium was played in December 2006, and the stadium has hosted the 2011 World Cup, 2012 and 2014 Asian Cups, 2016 Asian Cup, and most of the Bangladesh matches in the Premier League (BPL). The ICC World Twenty20 2014 and Women’s World Twenty20 were also held at the stadium. The stadium hosted its first international T20 match on 11 October 2011, between Bangladesh and West Indies.

On 17 January 2018, the country became the sixth and fastest to host 100 ODIs during the 2017–18 Tri-Nation Series in Bangladesh.”

Facilities

“The field was initially constructed for football and athletics, hence its square shape. To prepare it for cricket, extensive renovations are necessary, including excavating the playing field. Three feet of soil must be dug up to remove the red clay. Next, PVC pipes are installed, followed by a layer of crushed rock and sand, and finally, grass is planted.

The elevation remains consistent, with a drop of 29 inches from the goal to the boundary. Floodlights were installed in the stadium in 2009, enabling it to host day/night cricket matches.”

First Test, Odi and T20I

The stadium hosted its first Test match on 25 May 2007, when the home team played against India. The first ODI was held on 18 December 2005, when Bangladesh played Scotland. On 11 October 2011, the stadium hosted the first T20I match between Bangladesh and West Indies.

2011 Icc World Cup

“The stadium hosted 4 group games and 2 quarter-final matches in the 2011 Cricket World Cup, held from 19 February to 2 April, hosted by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India. Another notable venue in Bangladesh is Chittagong.”

Renovations

“Before the match, the stadium underwent extensive renovations. A big screen and electronic scoreboard were installed, the windshield was replaced with an electronic one, the headlights were fixed, and a protective cover was purchased from England for about $16,000. Additionally, the plastic seats were replaced, and new features were added. The media center was expanded to accommodate up to 200 journalists, and the dressing rooms were also renovated. A new cricket academy has been established near the main ground, along with a new training ground, enhancing the indoor training facilities.”