The Jinnah Stadium, formerly known as Municipal Stadium, is a multipurpose stadium in Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan.[2] It is used mostly for cricket matches. Built in 1981, the creator of this stadium is Alhaj Muhammad Aslam Butt (former mayor of Gujranwala).[3] [4] This stadium can accommodate 20,000 spectators and is known for having one of the fastest pitches in the world.[5][6]
Jinnah Stadium is the largest stadium in Gujranwala, followed by the Mini Stadium, an association of football ground which has a capacity of 15,000.[citation needed] Since 2000, due to lack of international matches has led to the stadium being used for political rallies.[7][8][9] The absence of a five-star hotel in Gujranwala is cited as the main reason for the lack of international matches at the venue.[6]
Jinnah Stadium was built as Municipal Stadium in 1981.[5][6] It hosted its first and only Test match in 1991.[10] Over the years, cricketers such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Arjuna Ranatunga, and Sanath Jayasuriya have played at Jinnah Stadium.[6] Sachin Tendulkar made his ODI cricket debut in 1989 at this ground.[11] The last ODI match played there was between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2000 and was the first ODI match Aleem Dar umpired.[12] As of August 2024, Jinnah Stadium is under consideration for hosting some matches of Pakistan Super League 2025 edition, although no renovation work has been done on the stadium in the recent years.
This stadium hosted an ODI match in the 1996 Cricket World Cup between Pakistan and UAE.[13]
The following table summarizes the One-Day International centuries scored at Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala [14]
Only 1 five wicket haul has been taken at Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala[15]