The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is based in Chittagong, a port city in the southeastern part of Bangladesh. It is also known as the Chattogram Divisional Stadium. It was granted international status in January 2006.
The 20,000-capacity stadium has hosted 22 Test matches so far. While eight were won by the team batting first, the team bowling first sealed seven wins.
With an average first innings score of 371, this venue in Chittagong is friendly to teams batting first. However, the average score trickles down to 215 runs by the fourth innings as the spinners come into their own from the third day.
The first Test at the venue was played in February-March 2006, featuring Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The visitors won the match by eight wickets. Since then, it has not been a happy hunting ground for the hosts.
Bangladesh have won two and lost 13 of the 22 Tests played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. The remaining seven have been draws. Meanwhile, Afghanistan, Australia, England, and Pakistan have a 100 per cent win record in Tests at the venue. Zimbabwe, who have played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium only once, are the only team yet to win a Test here.
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Test records
Highest total: Sri Lanka’s 713/9 against Bangladesh in January 2018 is the highest Test total registered at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Kusal Mendis smashed 196 runs off 327 balls, while Dhananjaya de Silva and Roshen Silva also crossed the three-figure mark.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh have made three 500+ scores at the venue, the most by any team. England, Pakistan, South Africa and Australia have also achieved this feat at least once.
Lowest total: Following on against South Africa in March 2008, Bangladesh were bundled out for 119, the lowest total in Tests at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini picked up four wickets each against the Mohammad Ashraful-led side.
Bangladesh’s scores of 125 against West Indies and 135 against Pakistan are the second and third-lowest totals, respectively, at the venue.
Highest individual score: Kumar Sangakkara amassed 319 runs off 482 balls, smashing 32 fours and eight sixes, against Bangladesh in February 2014. It stands as the highest score by a batter in Tests at Chittagong.
South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie, who shared a 415-run opening stand in February 2008 at the venue, follow Sangakkara for the top scores at the venue.
Best bowling figures: Three bowlers - Shakib Al Hasan, Nathan Lyon and Taijul Islam - have picked seven wickets in an innings at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. However, Shakib conceded only 36 runs in his spell in October 2008 to hold the top spot.
Meanwhile, Taijul has also taken a six-fer here in November 2018 against West Indies.
Most runs: With 1,457 runs in 20 matches, Bangladesh wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim is the leading run-scorer at the venue. Rahim averages 41.62 and has smashed two centuries and eight fifties in Tests at the venue.
Mominul Haque and Tamim Iqbal have also scored more than 1,000 runs in Tests at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, while Shakib Al Hasan and Kumar Sangakkara complete the top five.
Most wickets: Shakib Al Hasan leads the wicket-taking charts with 64 wickets in 19 Tests. The Bangladeshi all-rounder’s exploits at Chittagong include four five-wicket hauls, while maintaining an economy rate of 2.94.
Australia’s Nathan Lyon, who ranks sixth in the wickets column at the venue, is the best visiting bowler with 13 wickets in the only Test he played in September 2017.
Highest partnership: The aforementioned partnership of 415 runs between McKenzie and Smith is the highest partnership in Test cricket at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
Jason Gillespie and Michael Hussey, the Australian duo, racked up 320 runs for the fourth wicket against Bangladesh in April 2006, which held the record between April 2006 and February 2008.
Featured image: Alamy
