On April 21, 2008, the iconic Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur hosted its first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) match with hosts Rajasthan Royals successfully chasing down 166 to beat Punjab Kings, then Kings XI Punjab, by six wickets.
In the 60-plus IPL matches that have been played in Jaipur since then, the surface at the SMS Stadium has stayed true to the trend.
The venue has historically favoured chasing teams with sides batting second winning 42 of the 65 IPL matches played here, which translates to a above 60 per cent success rate. The data suggests that the pitch often becomes more favourable for batting under lights, making run-chases more manageable.
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Overall, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium pitch has been known to be a fairly balanced playing surface which can favour both batters and bowlers depending on external conditions.
The highest team total recorded here is 229/5 by Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 while the lowest is 59 by RR in IPL 2023, highlighting the pitch's variability. These contrasting numbers indicate that while the pitch can be conducive to high scores on certain days, it can also tilt the scale in the bowlers’ favour under favorable conditions.
Statistically, the pitch has an average of 29.69 runs per wicket and a strike rate of 21.4, further indicating a competitive balance between bat and ball. The average runs per over across both innings at the venue is 8.39.
The average first innings score at the venue is 166.49.
Sawai Mansingh Stadium pitch report - key IPL stats
Stat | Numbers |
Matches played | 65 |
Matches won batting first | 23 (35.38%) |
Matches won batting second | 42 (64.62%) |
Matches won winning toss | 37 (56.92%) |
Matches won losing toss | 28 (43.08%) |
Highest individual score | 113* - Virat Kohli - RCB vs RR (IPL 2024) |
Best bowling figures | 6/14 - Sohail Tanvir RR vs CSK (IPL 2008) |
Highest team total | 229/5 - SRH vs RR (IPL 2026) |
Lowest team total | 59 - RR vs RCB (IPL 2023) |
Highest successful run chase | 229/5 - SRH vs RR (IPL 2026) |
Average runs per wicket | 29.69 |
Average runs per over | 8.39 |
Average score batting first (strike rate) | 166.49 (137.1) |
Average score batting second (strike rate) | 150.2 (137.5) |
Total 200+ scores | 10 |
Highest 1st innings total | 228/6 - RR vs SRH (IPL 2026) |
Highest 2nd innings total | 229/6 - SRH vs RR (IPL 2026) |
For complete T20 records at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, check here.
Coin tosses haven’t had much of an impact at the venue with almost 57 per cent of matches won by teams winning the flip.
The massive outfield, known to be one of the biggest among all IPL grounds, also plays a major role in match outcomes at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
The 200-run barrier has been breached only 10 times in Jaipur which is one of the least among the active IPL venues.
Virat Kohli's unbeaten 113 in IPL 2024 is the highest individual score at this venue. On the bowling front, Sohail Tanvir's remarkable 6/14 in 2008 remains the best bowling performance.
Overall, medium pacer Siddharth Trivedi is the top IPL wicket-taker at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium with 36 scalps from 32 matches.
Ajinkya Rahane is the top scorer at the ground in IPL matches with 1115 runs in 37 matches.
Both spinners and fast bowlers can extract purchase off the SMS Stadium pitch.
In summary, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium offers a sporting wicket that slightly favours chasing teams. While batters can score big, bowlers can also extract assistance, making for an intriguing contest.
