Narendra Modi Stadium: The World's Largest Cricket Ground at 132,000 Capacity
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad (formerly Sardar Patel Stadium, then Motera) is the world's largest cricket ground by capacity (132,000). The stadium was completely rebuilt between 2015 and 2020 at a cost of approximately ₹800 crore. It hosted the 2023 ICC World Cup final (India vs Australia, India lost by 6 wickets) and the famous 'Namaste Trump' event in February 2020 attended by US President Donald Trump. The stadium is administered by the Gujarat Cricket Association.
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is the world's largest cricket stadium by capacity at 132,000. The stadium was originally built as the Sardar Patel Stadium in 1982 (capacity 49,000), was known as Motera, and was comprehensively demolished and rebuilt between 2015 and 2020. The reconstruction cost approximately ₹800 crore ($100 million) and created an entirely new stadium with world-class facilities.
Infrastructure and Features
The rebuilt stadium features: 11 pitches (central square + 5 practice pitches), 4 dressing rooms (to allow two teams per side in day-night and multi-match events), LED floodlights (the first stadium in India with full LED lighting capable of hosting day-night Tests), 76 corporate boxes, 4 team rooms, an indoor cricket academy, and a swimming pool. The seating capacity of 132,000 exceeds the previous largest cricket ground (MCG, Melbourne, 100,024). The stadium's infrastructure was designed by Populous (the same firm that designed the Sydney Cricket Ground redevelopment and Wembley Stadium).
Major Events
The stadium was formally renamed Narendra Modi Stadium in February 2021. In February 2020, it hosted 'Namaste Trump' — a joint rally attended by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with approximately 100,000 attendees. The stadium hosted the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final on 19 November 2023, which Australia won by 6 wickets vs India. The match drew over 90,000 spectators and was watched by approximately 500 million TV viewers globally — one of the most-watched cricket matches in history.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ICC Champions Trophy, how does it differ from the Cricket World Cup, and which teams have won it historically?
ICC Champions Trophy: history, format, and winners. The ICC Champions Trophy was launched in 1998 as the 'ICC KnockOut Tournament' — a mini-World Cup for top-ranked ODI nations. It was renamed the Champions Trophy in 2002. Format: unlike the 50-over World Cup (which has had 10–14 teams), the Champions Trophy features only 8 teams — the top-ranked ODI nations at qualification cutoff. The smaller format makes it a higher-quality competition: every match is between elite teams. Tournament format: round-robin groups of 4 teams (top 2 advance), plus semi-finals and a final. Playing time: typically 15 matches total, completable in 15 days. Winners list: 1998 South Africa (KnockOut); 2000 New Zealand; 2002 India and Sri Lanka (joint holders, final washed out twice); 2004 West Indies; 2006 Australia; 2009 Australia; 2013 India; 2017 Pakistan (beat India by 180 runs in the final at The Oval, London). After 2013, the ICC paused the Champions Trophy in favour of a 'Super Series' concept that was later abandoned. The tournament returned in 2025. Key differences from the World Cup: (1) Only 8 teams (vs 10–14 in WC); (2) No qualifier matches — pure elite cricket; (3) Faster to complete; (4) Traditionally hosted by a single country (vs WC which has been multi-host). The 2017 final is one of cricket's most memorable upsets: Pakistan came into the tournament ranked 8th; India were ranked No. 1. Pakistan won by 180 runs — Fakhar Zaman scored 114, and Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, and Junaid Khan bowled India out for 158.