International venue · Uttar Pradesh

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. 103 completed matches stored since 13 Nov 2024.

Capacity 50,100
Opened 2017
1 Test
9 ODIs
6 T20Is
Floodlit

Photo: Escpl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium: key facts

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium is a 2017 international ground in Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow. It is operated by Ekana Sportz City and is home to Uttar Pradesh cricket, Lucknow Super Giants and UP Warriorz. The venue hosted its first international in November 2018 and five matches at the 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup.

Location: Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Capacity: 50,100BCCI lists 50,100; some cricket references round this to 50,000.
Opened: 2017
First international: 6 November 2018India v West Indies, 2nd T20I
Owned or run by: Ekana Sportz City
Home teams: Uttar Pradesh men's cricket team, Uttar Pradesh women's cricket team, Lucknow Super Giants (IPL), UP Warriorz (WPL)
Ends: North End and South End
Floodlights: Yes
Former names: Ekana International Cricket Stadium
Status: International venue

International matches hosted

1Tests
9ODIs
6T20Is

Counts up to 6 June 2026; first international 6 November 2018.

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium pitch report

How the surface usually plays, then the figures from completed matches stored at this ground (average first-innings score is the median).

The ground has a black-soil surface that is generally slow. The cited pitch report says the conditions can assist spin and produce lower-scoring ODI contests. Dew varies with season; the same report notes little dew risk in the May–June summer window, so no all-season dew claim is made here.

Black-soil pitch.
Usually slow rather than naturally quick.
Spin can be effective when the surface grips.
Dew is season-dependent; a summer report found a low chance in May and June.

Pitch and toss figures from stored matches

Pitch and toss figures at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium by format
Format	Matches	Avg 1st innings	Bat-first wins	Chose to bowl	Toss winner won	Highest total
T20 and shorter	99	166	41%	79%	61%	248/2 Noida Super Kings, 27 Aug 2025
One-day (ODI and List A)	1	402	100%	100%	0%	402/10 India, 17 Jun 2026
Test and first-class	3	561	100%	67%	0%	736/10 Karnataka, 15 Feb 2026

Upcoming matches at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium

No upcoming fixtures at this ground are confirmed.

History of Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium

The stadium was commissioned in 2014 as part of a public-private partnership involving Ekana Sportz City and the Lucknow Development Authority. The stadium was built on a 35-year lease of 71 acres, with construction reported at a cost of Rs 360 crore. It opened in 2017 and was designed as a major cricket venue for the Uttar Pradesh capital. The stadium's official address is Sector 7, Amar Shaheed Path, in Gomti Nagar Extension.

Before its international debut, the ground hosted the 2017–18 Duleep Trophy final. An India–New Zealand ODI planned for October 2017 was moved to Kanpur because the venue was not ready. The ground first appeared on the international calendar on 6 November 2018, when India played West Indies in a T20I. It brought international cricket back to Lucknow after the city's previous international venue, K. D. Singh Babu Stadium, last hosted an international in January 1994.

The venue was renamed in 2018 for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is commonly shortened to Ekana, while the full current name is used by the BCCI and international scorecards. Uttar Pradesh's men's and women's teams use the ground for domestic cricket. Lucknow Super Giants adopted it as their home venue from the franchise's entry into the Indian Premier League, and UP Warriorz have used it in the Women's Premier League.

Ekana's international programme expanded with a one-off Test between Afghanistan and West Indies in November 2019 and a sequence of ODIs. The stadium hosted five matches at the 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup, including Australia–South Africa on 12 October and Afghanistan–Netherlands on 3 November. By 3 November 2023 the ground had hosted one men's Test, nine men's ODIs and six men's T20Is; the last listed international was on 3 November 2023.

Milestones

2014
Construction was commissioned through a public-private partnership involving Ekana Sportz City and the Lucknow Development Authority.
2017
The stadium opened and hosted the 2017–18 Duleep Trophy final before receiving international cricket.
2018
The ground was renamed after Atal Bihari Vajpayee and staged its first international match on 6 November.
2019
Ekana hosted its first men's Test, Afghanistan v West Indies, from 27 to 29 November.
2021
The ground hosted India women's limited-overs matches against South Africa in March.
2023
Ekana hosted five matches at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

Famous matches at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium

6 November 2018
India v West Indies, 2nd T20I
India won by 71 runs in the stadium's first international. Rohit Sharma made 111 not out, which was his fourth T20I hundred at the time.
27 November 2019
Afghanistan v West Indies, Test
The match was the venue's first Test. West Indies won by nine wickets, completing the game inside three days.
12 October 2023
Australia v South Africa, 10th match, Men's Cricket World Cup
South Africa defeated Australia by 134 runs in the first World Cup match at Ekana. South Africa made 311/7, one of the ground's ODI high totals.
29 October 2023
India v England, 29th match, Men's Cricket World Cup
India won by 100 runs. England were dismissed for 129, a low ODI total at the venue.

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium records

Researched ground records, checked against at least one published scorecard source.

Ground records at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium
Record	Figure	Match
Highest ODI team total in cited record summary	311/7	South Africa v Australia, 12 October 2023
Lowest ODI team total in cited record summary	129 all out	England v India, 29 October 2023
Highest individual ODI score in cited record summary	109*	Quinton de Kock v Australia, 2023
Best ODI bowling figures in cited record summary	4/22	Mohammed Shami for India v England, 2023
Highest individual T20I score in the venue's first international	111*	Rohit Sharma for India v West Indies, 6 November 2018

How to reach Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium

Nearest airport: Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow; continue by road towards Gomti Nagar Extension.
By train: Lucknow railway stations, including Charbagh, require a road transfer to Sector 7, Gomti Nagar Extension.
By road: Use Amar Shaheed Path to reach Sector 7, Gomti Nagar Extension; follow local event traffic directions on match days.
Address: Sector 7, Amar Shaheed Path, Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226010, India

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium: questions and answers

When was Ekana Cricket Stadium built?

The stadium opened in 2017. Its construction was commissioned in 2014 through a public-private partnership.

What is Ekana Cricket Stadium's capacity?

The BCCI lists a capacity of 50,100. Some cricket references round the figure to 50,000.

Who owns Ekana Cricket Stadium?

Ekana Sportz City is listed as the owner and operator in the stadium reference material. The stadium was developed with the Lucknow Development Authority under a public-private partnership.

Which teams play at Ekana Cricket Stadium?

It is a home venue for Uttar Pradesh men's and women's teams, Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and UP Warriorz in the WPL.

When was the first international match at Ekana?

India played West Indies in the second T20I on 6 November 2018. India won by 71 runs.

What is the pitch like at Ekana Cricket Stadium?

Reports describe a slow black-soil surface that can help spin. Conditions and dew vary by season, so the pitch should not be treated as identical for every fixture.

More cricket stadiums in Uttar Pradesh

Every ground in India that has hosted an international, with its history, capacity and pitch. See all cricket stadiums in India.

Sources for this stadium guide