Pallekele International Cricket Stadium – Complete Guide

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, also known as PICS, is a premier cricket venue located in Pallekele, a suburb about 15 km east of Kandy, Sri Lanka.Inaugurated on 27 November 2009, the stadium was built by Sri Lanka Cricket in preparation for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.It became Sri Lanka’s 104th Test venue in December 2010, hosting its first Test between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.With a seating capacity of approximately 35,000, Pallekele is equipped to host international matches across all formats — Tests, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).The playing ends are named Hunnasgiriya End and Rikillagaskada End.Its facilities include modern floodlights for day-night matches, practice wickets and pitches, well-appointed dressing rooms, and corporate/VIP areas.Notable highlights include hosting several matches in the 2011 World Cup, being one of the grounds for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, and staging domestic and regional fixtures.Despite frequent rain in the Kandy region, good drainage and groundskeeping help preserve match play.Pallekele has thus emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s most scenic and important international cricket stadiums.