History of Barabati Cricket Stadium, Cuttack

Who Built Barabati Stadium?

Bhairab Chandra Mohanty, a key Odisha sports administrator and secretary of the Odisha Olympic Association, is widely credited as the driving force behind Barabati Stadium. Orisports describes his role in the stadium’s development; Hindustan Times records his proposal of the Barabati Raffle to raise construction funds.

The published accounts identify the sporting initiative and fundraising, rather than a verified construction contractor or technical design firm. The Odisha Olympic Association’s stadium role should also be distinguished from the Odisha Cricket Association’s organisation of cricket.

When was Barabati Stadium built? Incredible India lists its opening in 1958, while Hindustan Times’ February 2024 report says it was built in 1952. These dates are not treated as interchangeable: 1958 is the commonly listed opening year, and the exact early construction chronology remains inconsistently reported.

Original editorial illustration, not a photograph of the named match.

Barabati Cricket Stadium Enters ODI Cricket

India played England in the first men’s ODI at Barabati Stadium on 27 January 1982. India won by five wickets and took the series 2–1. The BCCI and ESPNcricinfo venue descriptions identify it as only the third ODI staged in India.

This match is a documented starting point for Barabati’s ODI history, not the date when cricket first reached Cuttack. Touring teams had visited the ground before it became an official international venue.

Original editorial illustration, not a photograph of the named match.

History of Barabati Cricket Stadium, Cuttack in Test Cricket

Barabati’s first men’s Test began on 4 January 1987, with India facing Sri Lanka. Dilip Vengsarkar scored 166 and India won by an innings and 67 runs. Kapil Dev reached his 300th Test wicket during the match.

The next men’s Test, against New Zealand in November 1995, was affected by rain and ended in a draw. Narendra Hirwani took 6/59 in New Zealand’s innings. These two matches remain central landmarks in Barabati Stadium history.

Original editorial illustration, not a photograph of the named match.

World Cup Matches and New Cricket Formats

Barabati hosted Australia vs Zimbabwe in the 1987 men’s World Cup and India vs Kenya in the 1996 tournament. It also staged matches in the 2013 Women’s Cricket World Cup, extending its international story beyond the men’s game.

The ground has hosted IPL cricket as well as Odisha domestic fixtures. Its first men’s T20I was India vs South Africa on 5 October 2015. International matches and state cricket together explain its continuing role in Cuttack’s sporting life.

Original editorial illustration, not a photograph of the named match.

Cuttack Cricket Stadium Dimensions and Capacity

For readers searching for Cuttack cricket stadium dimensions, PerfectLineup publishes estimates of about 65 metres square and 70 metres straight. These are third-party estimates without a dated official measurement; they should not be read as fixed dimensions for every match. The selected strip and position of the boundary rope can change the distance.

The BCCI venue profile lists Barabati capacity at 45,000 and names the Mahanadi River End and Pavilion End. Match-day ticket inventory and usable galleries may differ from that headline capacity.

A 2024 report discussed a proposed redevelopment with 60,000 seats. A proposal is not evidence that a larger stadium has been completed, so it is not used as the present capacity here.