Abu Dhabi · UAE · 2005–2025
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi: Pitch Conditions, Records and Match Stats
At a glance
Matches
242
All formats
Par score
180
1st-innings average
Chase success
52%
Balanced
Bat-first win
47%
Long-sample record
Pitch & conditions
The patterns we see repeat across the matches on record — what works at Abu Dhabi, and what captains should plan for.
A first-innings average of 182 across 235 matches makes Zayed Cricket Stadium one of the more productive surfaces in the UAE. The 18-run gap between first and second innings averages suggests conditions do shift across a match, whether through surface wear or the pressure of chasing. Teams setting totals have something to work with.
The powerplay average of 39 runs at a cost of 1.41 wickets is conservative by T20 standards. Bowlers can hold their own in the opening six overs here, and teams that apply pressure early may have a meaningful advantage. Aggressive openers willing to absorb the conditions tend to fare better than those who go hard from ball one.
Pakistan Cricket have played 56 matches at Zayed Cricket Stadium, winning 28 and losing 24 for a 54% win rate. During the period when security concerns prevented international cricket in Pakistan, Abu Dhabi effectively served as a home venue, hosting Test series against England, Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
The highest individual score at the ground is 303 by AB de Villiers, made across a 2010 Test for South Africa against Pakistan. Alastair Cook's 263 off 528 balls for England in 2015 sits second on the all-time list. Both knocks underline how the Test pitch here can reward patience from top-order batters.
T20Is lead the match count at 77, but the ground has also hosted 44 ILT20 fixtures, 37 IPL matches and 24 PSL games. That breadth across franchise competitions across multiple seasons gives the venue's numbers real depth and makes comparisons between formats genuinely useful.
By the numbers
Career aggregates from the matches LuckySpire tracks at Abu Dhabi. Drawn from Cricsheet ball-by-ball data under ODC-BY licence.
Avg 1st inn
180
T20-era par
Avg 2nd inn
162
Chasing average
Chase success
52%
All formats
Highest total
598
On record
Lowest total
66
Complete innings
Phase-by-phase · scoring trajectory
Cumulative scoring trajectory across a typical white-ball innings at Abu Dhabi. Phase bands show Powerplay (overs 1–6), Middle (7–15) and Death (16–20) — the death-overs acceleration is where the ground's character shows up most sharply.
Powerplay
41RPO · OVERS 1–6
Middle
94RPO · OVERS 7–15
Death
46RPO · OVERS 16–20
Who plays here
Match counts and win records for the teams with the deepest history at this ground.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NR | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Cricket | 56 | 28 | 24 | 4 | 50% |
| Mi Emirates | 26 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 58% |
| Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | 25 | 8 | 17 | 0 | 32% |
| Uae Cricket | 25 | 18 | 7 | 0 | 72% |
| Ireland Cricket | 22 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 64% |
| Hong Kong Cricket | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 31% |
| Sri Lanka Cricket | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 38% |
| South Africa Cricket | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 60% |
Similar grounds
Balanced surface · slight chase bias · 333 matches
Balanced surface · chaser paradise · 165 matches
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Batting-friendly · 198 matches
Batting-friendly · slight chase bias · 196 matches