“It is more than a game, this cricket,” Neville Cardus, the famous English Cricket writer once said. The HPCA stadium in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh evokes memories of the beautiful and romantic writings of Neville Cardus, who brought the flavour of romance into sports writing in general and cricket writing in particular.

The HPCA stadium in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh in India was established in 2003, some 28 years after the death of Neville Cardus who changed cricket writing forever. If Neville Cardus had been alive and seen the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, he would have waxed eloquent about it and flowery words would have sprung from his pen.

If you love cricket, you are sure to fall head over heels in love with the Dharamshala Cricket Ground. Read on to know all about Dharamshala stadium, its history, the facilities it has, and why it is one of the unique cricket stadiums in India, and the world.

Stadium In Dharamshala | Beautiful Dharamshala Cricket Stadium

Cricket in India is nothing short of a religion. The game has held the entire country on tenterhooks, whenever a nail-biting match involving India is in progress. The cricketers have been equated with God, and have been the cause of agony and ecstasy for followers of cricket since the game was bequeathed to the country by the British.

Cricketers from Pataudi to Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar to Vijay Hazare, Chandrashekhar to Kumble, Vishwanath to Rahul Dravid, Vinoo Mankad to Kapil Dev, and many others, have fired the imagination of cricket fans with their exploits on the field. However, it is not only the game of cricket and the cricketers that have earned iconic status in the hearts of cricket lovers across the country. The same passion and love extend to the cricket grounds and stadiums too.

The historic cricket stadiums of India have also attained legendary status, which is on par with international cricket stadiums like Lords, Oval, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and others. These include stadiums like the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Chepauk (M.A.Chidambaram Stadium) in Chennai, Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium (Arun Jaitley Stadium) in Delhi, and the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

And then we have the new age cricket stadiums complete with floodlights that are in tune with the razzmatazz that one now associates with cricket. These include the likes of the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the massive Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

And then there is the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium Dharamsala, a stadium that brings alive the old-world charm and romance of cricket. A stadium which is the highest cricket stadium in the world, located in Dharamshala which has an altitude of 1,457 metres ( 4780 feet). The HPCA cricket stadium in Dharamshala is considered to be one of the most beautiful cricket stadiums in the world, and you realize, why it is so, as soon as you step into the stadium.

Visiting The Stadium In Dharamshala | Dharamshala Cricket Stadium Himachal Pradesh

Watching an international cricket match live in a stadium must be one of the dreams that most Indians have nurtured at some stage or the other in their lives. It is a dream as we walk into the lush environs of the Dharamshala cricket stadium.

What confronts us stuns us into silence. A circular green cricket field with stands filled with colourful chairs across its circumference greets us. The stadium is framed by the magnificent mountains of the Dhauladhar ranges. White fluffy clouds, flit across the mountains in the distance. The cool wind from the mountains blows languorously across the pitch and the outfield. It is a perfect setting to play and watch cricket. The stuff that cricketing dreams are made of.

As we gaze out at the green top, we can almost smell the scent of the leather ball. The sweet sound of leather meeting willow seems to emanate from the field, but alas it is only in our imagination. There is no cricket match going on, the beautiful ground of the Dharamshala cricket stadium is empty. Only the mountains in the distance seem to be eyeing it possessively. We head out of the stadium treasuring a dream, a dream of watching a live cricket match in the stunningly beautiful Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium Dharamsala.

Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium Dharamsala – History

The cricket ground of the stadium in Dharmashala was the home ground for the Himachal Pradesh Ranji Trophy Team. The full-fledged HPCA stadium was established in 2003. In spite of the weather conditions, the stadium has been the venue of many international cricket matches and has a promising future in the history of Indian cricket.

The very first international cricket team to play at the beautiful Dharamshala Cricket stadium was Pakistan which played a warm-up match, against an India A team in 2005. The stadium in Dharamshala has hosted one test match between India and Australia in the year 2017, a match that India won comfortably.

The first ODI played at the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala was between India and England in the year 2013, a match that was one by India. The first T20 match played at the stadium was between India and South Africa in 2015.

Interesting Facts About Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium Dharamsala

Here is some interesting and good-to-know information about the stadium in Dharmshala:

• The HPCA stadium in Dharamshala was established in 2003
• The Dharamshala cricket stadium is spread over an area of 16 acres
• The Dharamshala stadium capacity is 23,000
• Dharamshala stadium boundary length is 70 yards on all sides
• Midwicket to Midwicket length at the Dharamshala stadium is 140 yards
• Sightscreen to sightscreen length is 120 yards
• Dharamshala’s HPCA stadium was the first in India to use rye grass that was scattered on the outfield to prevent grass from dying owing to cold temperatures

Dharamshala Stadium Himachal Pradesh – Facilities

The Dharmashala Cricket Stadium established and managed by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association has facilities that are of international standards and state-of-the-art. Here are the facilities that exist at the stadium in Dharamshala.

• A fully loaded Health Club that includes a Technogym, Spa, jacuzzi, steam bath, and sauna bath
• Climate-controlled indoor stadium
• Exclusive seating in the form of Corporate boxes
• An exclusive and luxurious hotel called, ‘The Pavilion Dharamshala,” which can accommodate more than 2 teams along with their support staff

How To Reach Dharamshala Cricket Stadium Himachal Pradesh

The HPCA stadium is located in Dharamshala which is the headquarters of the Kangra District in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.

• Delhi To Dharamshala distance is about 468 kilometres
• Amritsar To Dharamshala distance is about 201 kilometres
• Chandigarh To Dharamshala distance is about 237 kilometres
• Pathankot To Dharamshala distance is about 85 kilometres
• Dalhousie To Dharamshala distance is about 117 kilometres
• Dharamshala To Mcleodganj distance is about 6 kilometres

By Air

The nearest airport to Dharamshala is Kangra Airport in Gaggal, at a distance of about 13 kilometres. It is a regional airport and has flights to and from Chandigarh, Hisar, and Delhi. The alternate airport is Pathankot at a distance of about 90 kilometres.

By Rail

The closest broad gauge railway head to Dharamshala is Pathankot. There is a narrow-gauge railway from Pathankot to Jogindernagar. Kangra Mandir is a railway station on this line which is at a distance of 32 kilometres from Dharamshala.

By Road

Dharamshala is well connected by road to other towns and cities of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Roadways buses to Mcleodganj are available from Delhi and other places.

If you are planning a visit to Dharamshala/Mcleoganj, you can book your flight tickets right here through, TripAdvisor or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline and fly to Pathankot or Amritsar. If you are thinking of a  road trip, do check out the rental car and bus options.

Where To Stay For Visiting Dharamshala Stadium Himachal Pradesh

There are many hotels to stay at in Dharamshala and McLeodganj. There is a choice of luxury hotels and resorts, budget hotels, as well as hostels. We stayed at the Spring Valley Resort, which is located very near the Bhagsunag temple. You can book the Spring Valley Resort or any other hotel right here.

Click to book Spring Valley Resort, one of the best places to stay in Mcleodganj.

You can book Hotels in Mcleodganj, Hotels in Bir, Hotels in Dharamshala, Hotels in Palampur or any destination right here through any of the options below: TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline and save a lot by getting the best deals on booking your stay.

Images of HPCA Stadium In Dharamshala

Here are some images Of HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, that will convey a sense of the panoramic beauty of the place.

And below is a collage of some more images of Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in Himachal Pradesh.

Stadium In Dharamshala – FAQ

What is Dharamshala stadium famous for?
The HPCA stadium in Dharamshala is the world’s highest fully functional cricket stadium. It is a beautiful stadium set against the backdrop of the magnificent Dhauladhar mountain ranges.

Can we visit HPCA Stadium?
Yes, visitors are allowed inside the HPCA stadium. There is a ticketed entry for visitors.

When was the HPCA stadium built? When was the Dharamshala stadium built?
The HPCA stadium in Dharamshala was built in 2003.

What is the name of the stadium in Dharamshala? What is the name of the stadium in Himachal Pradesh?
The cricket stadium in Dharamshala is called Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.

Dharamshala stadium is in which state?
The Dharmshala cricket stadium is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Who made the Dharamshala stadium?
The Dharamshala Cricket Stadium has been built by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association.

Howzzat? Did you like our blog post about the beautiful Dharamshala cricket stadium? If you are visiting Dharamshala, you must visit this unique stadium.

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