Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium is making a grand comeback to the IPL, hosting its first match in four years. This season, the iconic venue will see a total of five games, starting with an exciting clash tonight between the Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants. The ‘Pink City’ is buzzing with anticipation as it gears up to cheer for the home team.
Excitement Soars as IPL Returns to Jaipur
Jaipur rarely hosts cricket matches, making the return of IPL games a significant event for the city’s enthusiastic fans. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium, known for its balanced pitch offering opportunities to both batters and bowlers, adds to the excitement. Rajasthan Royals’ skipper Sanju Samson has expressed his joy about playing in front of a home crowd after such a long gap.
During IPL 2019, the Royals faced a tough run at home, losing four out of seven matches. This season, they’ll be aiming to put on a stellar show for their supporters. The excitement is palpable, with tickets for four of the five matches already sold out.
Sawai Mansingh Stadium Dimensions
Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium is renowned for its expansive dimensions, making it one of the largest cricket grounds in the country. Unlike the smaller boundaries at venues like Wankhede and M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, clearing the ropes in Jaipur is a challenge. Batters will need to rely on swift running between the wickets to capitalize on the ground’s size.
The square boundaries measure approximately 72 meters, while the mid-wicket and straight boundaries stretch beyond 75 meters. These longer boundaries provide spinners with an advantage, allowing them to exploit the larger field effectively.
Teams will aim to avoid taking the game deep, as free-flowing scoring isn’t straightforward here. However, chasing teams often find success due to the influence of dew, which can tilt the balance in their favor.
Highest successful IPL run chase in Jaipur
The highest run-chase at the SMS Stadium has been achieved by Delhi Capitals against the Royals in IPL 2019. Rajasthan scored 191/6 in the first innings, where batter Ajinkya Rahane played a brilliant knock of 105* (63) and Steve Smith scored 50 (32).
Delhi chased the target in just 19.2 overs, where wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant played a blinder of 78 (36) with the help of four sixes and six boundaries. Apart from Pant, batter Shikhar Dhawan also scored a half-century.