Key takeaways
- The Barabati Stadium has hosted four men's T20Is — two were won batting first, two chasing. Every toss winner chose to bowl first.
- T20I first-innings scores have ranged from 92 to 180, an average of about 149 — modest by modern standards.
- In 20 men's ODIs, chasing teams have won 12 and teams batting first 8; India chased 305 here against England in February 2025.
- The last T20I, in December 2025, was played on a slow surface — South Africa were bowled out for 74, their lowest T20 total.
Barabati Stadium at a glance
| City | Cuttack, Odisha |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1958 · capacity about 45,000 |
| Ends | Mahanadi River End, Kathajodi River End |
| IPL home team | None now — hosted 7 IPL matches between 2010 and 2014 |
| Men's T20Is (to Dec 2025) | 4 — won batting first 2, chasing 2 |
| Men's ODIs (to Feb 2025) | 20 — won batting first 8, chasing 12 |
| Highest T20I total | 180/3 — India v Sri Lanka, 2017 |
| Lowest T20I total | 74 — South Africa v India, 2025 |
| Next India match | 2nd T20I v Sri Lanka, Thu 24 Dec 2026, 7:00 PM IST (reported) |
Because Cuttack is not a regular IPL ground, this guide uses international numbers. Each figure below says which format it comes from: T20I (international T20), ODI or IPL.
Is the Barabati pitch good for batting or bowling?
In T20Is it has been closer to even, and often good for bowlers. Only one of the eight T20I innings here has passed 175, and two ended below 100. The most recent T20I, India against South Africa in December 2025, was played on a slow surface: India made 175/6, then bowled South Africa out for 74. Hardik Pandya, who scored 59 not out from 28 balls, said afterwards that he realised "the wicket had a bit of spice" and that it was about timing the ball rather than hitting it hard.
ODIs tell a different story. India made 381/6 against England in 2017 and chased 305 against England in February 2025, so the ground can produce big scores when the surface is true. Treat the match-day pitch report as more important here than the long-run average.
The T20I record in full
| Date | Match | Batting first | Chasing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 2015 | India v South Africa | India 92 all out | South Africa 96/4 | South Africa won by 6 wickets |
| 20 Dec 2017 | India v Sri Lanka | India 180/3 | Sri Lanka 87 all out | India won by 93 runs |
| 12 Jun 2022 | India v South Africa | India 148/6 | South Africa 149/6 (18.2 overs) | South Africa won by 4 wickets |
| 9 Dec 2025 | India v South Africa | India 175/6 | South Africa 74 all out (12.3 overs) | India won by 101 runs |
Three patterns stand out:
- Every toss winner chose to bowl. South Africa (2015 and 2022), Sri Lanka (2017) and South Africa again (2025) all put the other side in. The toss winner won two of the four games.
- Low first-innings scores. The average first innings is about 149 (92, 180, 148 and 175). A total of 170 or more has been defended both times it was set.
- Collapses happen. Sri Lanka's 87 in 2017 and South Africa's 74 in 2025 both came while chasing a target above 175.
The 2015 match was also stopped twice when spectators threw bottles onto the field after India's collapse to 92. Play resumed and South Africa completed the win.
The ODI record
All 20 men's ODIs at the ground, from 1982 to 2025:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Matches | 20 |
| Won batting first / chasing | 8 / 12 |
| India's record | 14 won, 4 lost (2 ODIs did not involve India) |
| Highest total | 381/6 — India v England, 2017 |
| Most recent | India 308/6 chased England's 304 (9 Feb 2025) |
In that February 2025 game Rohit Sharma made 119 from 90 balls and Shubman Gill 60, and India won by four wickets with 33 balls to spare, despite a 20-minute floodlight failure during the chase. Ravindra Jadeja took 3/35 and is the ground's leading international wicket-taker with 10.
Toss and chasing
With only four T20Is, the 2–2 split is too small a sample to call the ground a chasing venue. The ODI record leans to chasing (12 to 8), and captains have consistently chosen to bowl first. For a December evening game, check the forecast and the pre-match report for dew: if it is expected, the side batting second gains; if the surface is dry and slow, a total of 170 has been enough.
For your team: do not lean heavily on the toss here. Keep top-order batters from both sides and adjust after you hear the pitch report.
Pace or spin?
Both have won T20Is at Cuttack:
- Seamers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 4/13 in 2022, Albie Morkel 3/12 for South Africa in 2015, and in 2025 Arshdeep Singh removed Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs in his first two overs.
- Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal took four wickets and was player of the match in 2017, when Sri Lanka were bowled out for 87.
- All six India bowlers took at least one wicket in the 2025 game — on a slow pitch, the fifth and sixth bowlers also get chances.
Building a fantasy team for Cuttack
Things to check before you lock your team:
- The pitch report. A slow, dry surface makes wicket-taking bowlers and all-rounders the priority, as in 2017 and 2025. A hard, even surface brings the ODI-style scoring back.
- New-ball bowlers. Bhuvneshwar in 2022 and Arshdeep in 2025 struck early; a seamer who bowls in the powerplay is worth a close look.
- All-rounders. Hardik Pandya's 59* and wickets from six different bowlers in 2025 show why players who bat and bowl suit this ground.
- Captain choice. A top-order batter is the usual pick, but on a slow pitch a front-line bowler or all-rounder is a reasonable alternative to consider.
- The playing XIs. India's T20I team changes often; confirm the eleven after the toss before picking.
For a full routine, see pitch and conditions and captain and vice-captain. Fantasy picks are judgement calls — none of these checks guarantees a result.
Barabati in the IPL
Cuttack hosted seven IPL matches: four for Deccan Chargers (2010 and 2012) and three in 2014, two of them Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) home games and one a Kolkata Knight Riders game against Mumbai Indians. Teams batting first won four of those seven. It has not been an IPL venue since 2014, which is why this guide uses international figures. For the current IPL grounds, see the IPL pitch report.
Pre-match checklist
- Read the match-day pitch report — slow and dry means bowlers and all-rounders.
- Check the evening forecast for dew.
- Do not overweight the toss; the T20I record is level at 2–2.
- Confirm both playing XIs. India's full home schedule is on the India cricket schedule.
Sources
- ESPNcricinfo, T20I match results at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, retrieved 7 Nov 2026 — 2015, 2017 and 2022 T20I results.
- ESPNcricinfo, ODI match results at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, retrieved 7 Nov 2026 — all 20 ODI results (batting-first and chasing wins counted from the margins).
- ESPNcricinfo, T20 match results at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, retrieved 7 Nov 2026 — the seven IPL matches, 2010–2014.
- Sky Sports, South Africa dismissed for lowest-ever T20 total of 74 as India win by 101 runs in Cuttack, 9 Dec 2025 — 2025 T20I scores, toss, Pandya quotes.
- Cricket.com, India blow away South Africa for their lowest T20I total, 9 Dec 2025 — slow surface, Arshdeep's early wickets.
- The Quint, South Africa cruise to easy win over India, take 2-0 lead, 12 Jun 2022 — 2022 T20I scores, Klaasen 81, Bhuvneshwar 4/13.
- Business Standard (ANI), India defeat Sri Lanka by 93 runs in 1st T20, 20 Dec 2017 — 2017 T20I scores and Chahal's four wickets.
- Daily Maverick, South Africa's clinical T20 win soured by unruly Cuttack crowd, 5 Oct 2015 — 2015 T20I scores, Morkel 3/12, crowd stoppages.
- EWN (AFP), Lights out: Rohit hits ton to power India to victory over England, 10 Feb 2025 — 2025 ODI scores and floodlight failure.
- Wikipedia, Barabati Stadium, retrieved 7 Nov 2026 — opening year, capacity, ends, 381/6 record, Jadeja's 10 wickets.
- Odisha Bytes, Barabati Stadium to host India–Sri Lanka T20 match on December 24, 26 Mar 2026 — date and start time (citing BCCI sources).