Wankhede Stadium

Wankhede Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in Mumbai. Wankhade Stadium was the outcome of some disputes over ticket allocations that arose between the Cricket Club of India, the owner of Brabourne Stadium and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). In 1973, after the Test between India and England, the dispute became severe and at the initiative of S.K. Wankhede, a politician and the Secretary of MCA, a new stadium was built near the Churchgate in South Mumbai.

Today, Wankhede Stadium has taken over Brabourne Stadium in all respect; with a whopping sitting capacity of 45,000 audiences the stadium offers a top-end cricketing spectacle.

Wankhede stadium has seen some classic sports and it has been witness to great innings like Gavaskar's 205 against the Windies and Kallicharan's 187 in the same game in the 1978-79 series. It was the same ground where all round heroics like Ian Botham's century and thirteen wickets in the Jubilee Test unleashed complete mania in 1980 when England won by ten wickets. The highest score by an Indian at Wankhede remains Vinod Kambli's 224 against England in 1992-93 in only his third Test. Incidentally Ravi Shastri's six sixes in an over off Baroda's Tilak Raj en route to the fastest double-hundred in first-class cricket was on this ground in 1984-85.

The cricket pitch of Wankhade Stadium is bowler's favorite with spinners having an edge. It has also pace friendly track. Proximity to the sea ensures spin and bounce to the spinners on the ground. In the year 1995, Wankhede Stadium was upgraded to host day and night matches as well.

Wankhede Stadium has adequately honored India's cricket's legend and hence the main gates to the ground are named after Polly Umrigar and Vinoo Mankad. The stands are named after famous Mumbai cricketers like Vijay Merchant (West stand), Sunil Gavaskar (East stand upper) and Sachin Tendulkar (North stand).