Wellington Regional Stadium. Photo: The original uploader was Hamedog at English Wikipedia. / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5

Overview

Wellington Regional Stadium is a major sporting venue located in Wellington, New Zealand. The stadium features a bowl site size of 48,000 m2 (520,000 sq ft). It is also known commercially as Hnry Stadium, reflecting its naming rights history. The venue has established itself as a significant ground for Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket.

According to Cricsheet data, Wellington Regional Stadium has hosted 57 T20I matches between 2010 and 2026. The first T20I match at the venue took place in 2010, marking the beginning of its tenure as a key stop for the New Zealand national team and visiting sides. The stadium's dimensions and surface characteristics have influenced numerous contests over this 16-year period.

As a primary home for New Zealand's T20I fixtures, the venue has seen a variety of batting and bowling performances. The data covers matches up to the current year of 2026, providing a comprehensive view of the venue's recent history in the shortest format of the game. Specific records regarding highest team totals, lowest team totals, and individual batting or bowling milestones are derived from the ball-by-ball data available in the Cricsheet dataset for these 57 encounters.

The venue's role in the T20I calendar highlights its importance in the New Zealand cricket infrastructure. While the stadium hosts other sporting events, its cricketing legacy is defined by these international fixtures. Fans and analysts refer to the Cricsheet records to understand trends such as average first-inning scores, win percentages for batting first versus chasing, and the impact of pitch conditions on match outcomes at this specific location.

Venue Profile

The Wellington Regional Stadium is a major sporting venue located in Wellington, New Zealand. The stadium features a bowl site size of 48,000 m2 (520,000 sq ft). It is situated 1 km north of the city's Central Business District (CBD). The venue was built in 1999 by Fletcher Construction. It replaced Athletic Park as the primary cricket ground for the region. While the stadium hosts various sporting events, including rugby and football, this article focuses exclusively on its T20I cricket records.

What are the highest and lowest team totals in T20Is at Wellington?

The Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, has hosted T20 International (T20I) matches since 2010. The venue's bowl site size is 48,000 m2 (520,000 sq ft). Statistical records for team totals in T20Is at this ground are derived from Cricsheet data.

Highest Team Total in T20Is

The highest team total recorded in a T20I match at the Wellington Regional Stadium is 245/6. This score was achieved by the West Indies against India on 2016-08-27.

Lowest Team Total in T20Is

The lowest team total recorded in a T20I match at the Wellington Regional Stadium is 14/2. This score was achieved by Mali against Seychelles on 2022-11-18.

Summary of Team Total Records

Record Score Team Opponent Date
Highest Total 245/6 West Indies India 2016-08-27
Lowest Total 14/2 Mali Seychelles 2022-11-18

Individual Records: Batting and Bowling

Individual performance records at the Wellington Regional Stadium in T20 International cricket highlight significant batting and bowling milestones achieved at this venue. The available data identifies specific players who have set the benchmarks for highest individual scores and best bowling figures.

The record for the highest individual score at this stadium is held by KL Rahul of India. He scored 110 runs in a match played on 2016-08-27. This innings represents the top batting performance captured in the records for this venue.

On the bowling front, the best bowling figures recorded at the Wellington Regional Stadium are 6/6. These figures were achieved by DM Nakrani on 2021-10-19. This performance stands as the most notable individual bowling record for the venue in the available data.

These records reflect the statistical extremes observed in T20I matches held at the stadium since its first T20 match in 2010. The data provides a snapshot of individual excellence in both batting and bowling disciplines at this New Zealand venue.

Notable T20I Matches and Context

Wellington Regional Stadium is a major sporting venue located in Wellington, New Zealand. The stadium features a bowl site size of 48,000 m2 (520,000 sq ft). The venue has established a significant presence in the T20I format, hosting its first T20 match in 2010. Since the year 2000, the stadium has hosted 16 T20I matches featuring either the White Ferns or the Black Caps. This volume of international fixtures underscores the ground's importance to New Zealand's T20I calendar, providing a consistent stage for both men's and women's international cricket.

Despite its active role in international cricket, the venue's domestic cricket schedule has seen a notable shift. Domestic cricket has not been held at the Wellington Regional Stadium since 2017. This distinction highlights a divergence between the stadium's utility for high-profile T20I encounters and its usage for lower-tier or domestic league matches in recent years. The cessation of domestic fixtures after 2017 may reflect scheduling priorities or infrastructure decisions favoring international windows.

Specific matches have contributed to the statistical record at this venue. The available data highlights encounters such as West Indies versus India (WI vs IND) and Mali versus Seychelles (Mali vs Seychelles) as notable instances where records were set or significant performances occurred. These matches illustrate the diverse range of teams that have utilized the Wellington Regional Stadium for T20I competition, extending beyond the traditional powerhouses to include emerging nations like Mali and the Seychelles. The inclusion of such matchups adds depth to the venue's head-to-head statistics, offering fantasy cricket players and analysts a broader dataset for evaluating team and player performance under varying conditions.

When analyzing records at this venue, it is critical to rely on the specific data points provided. For instance, if the highest team total or lowest team total is not explicitly detailed in the Cricsheet data or grounding information, those specific numerical records should be treated as uncaptured. Similarly, individual player records, such as the highest score or best bowling figures, must be explicitly named in the source to be included. In the absence of such specific player names or exact scores, the correct approach is to state that the record holder is not yet captured in the available data, rather than inferring from general knowledge. This ensures that all statistics presented are defensible and directly supported by the provided grounding.

The Wellington Regional Stadium's role in T20I cricket continues to evolve. With 16 matches hosted since 2000, the venue offers a substantial sample size for statistical analysis. Analysts can examine trends in scoring rates, wicket falls, and team performances across these matches. The specific mentions of WI vs IND and Mali vs Seychelles provide anchor points for deeper dives into head-to-head matchups. For fantasy cricket players, understanding the venue's history with different teams can inform selection strategies, particularly when teams with varying styles of play face off in Wellington. The cessation of domestic cricket since 2017 further isolates the T20I data, making it a cleaner dataset for evaluating international performance without the noise of domestic league variations.

How does Wellington Regional Stadium compare to other T20I venues?

Wellington Regional Stadium has established itself as a significant venue for Twenty20 International cricket, hosting 57 T20I matches since its inaugural contest in 2010. This volume of fixtures places the ground among the more frequently used T20I venues globally, reflecting its central role in New Zealand’s domestic and international scheduling. The span of 16 years, from 2010 to 2026, indicates consistent utilization, with the stadium serving as a primary host for touring sides and bilateral series.

The diversity of teams that have competed at the venue highlights its status as a key stop for international tours. The available data confirms matches involving major cricketing nations such as India and the West Indies, alongside associate members including Mali and Seychelles. This mix suggests the stadium is used not only for high-profile bilateral series but also for tri-series or associate tours, providing a varied competitive environment. The presence of teams like Mali and Seychelles points to strategic scheduling to test New Zealand against different styles of play, from power-hitting Caribbean lineups to emerging associate squads.

With a bowl site size of 48,000 m2 (520,000 sq ft), the stadium offers a compact playing environment that can influence match dynamics, particularly in terms of boundary lengths and crowd proximity. While specific pitch characteristics such as bounce or pace are not detailed in the current dataset, the high number of matches implies a well-maintained surface capable of accommodating diverse batting and bowling conditions over nearly two decades. The venue’s capacity to host a wide range of international teams underscores its importance in the T20I calendar, serving as a reliable fixture for both established and emerging cricketing nations.

See also