Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India (33,108 capacity) has hosted cricket since 1974. It is best known as the venue where India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup Final on April 2, with MS Dhoni’s six over long-on still the most replayed shot in Indian cricket history. Tendulkar was carried around the ground while 33,108 people wept. India had just won the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and the greatest cricketer who ever lived was claiming the trophy in his home city in his final tournament. It happened here, in the compact, sweat-soaked, deafening bowl of Wankhede in south Mumbai.
Wankhede Stadium was built in 1974 in the Churchgate area of South Mumbai, wedged between the city’s financial district and the Arabian Sea. At 33,108 capacity, it is not a large ground by Indian standards, and that intimacy is part of its character. The sea breeze rolls in from Marine Drive, carrying salt air that affects how the ball swings and how the outfield behaves. Mumbai’s oppressive humidity, particularly during IPL season in April and May, creates conditions that test the endurance of every player on the field. Fast bowlers who can exploit the combination of pace, bounce, and atmospheric conditions find Wankhede rewarding. The pitch has traditionally offered more for quicks than most Indian venues, making it a ground where fast bowling can genuinely win matches.
Mumbai is the commercial capital of Indian cricket, and the city has produced more international cricketers than any other in the country. Sunil Gavaskar grew up watching cricket here. Sachin Tendulkar played his first Ranji Trophy match at Wankhede at the age of 15. Rohit Sharma captains Mumbai Indians at the ground where his career has reached its greatest heights. The weight of that history is present in every match played here, and the Mumbai crowd, knowledgeable and unforgiving, holds every player to a standard that reflects the city’s cricketing pedigree.
In 2026, Wankhede hosted T20 World Cup matches in February and March and serves as a home venue for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2026. When MI play at Wankhede, with Jasprit Bumrah bowling at the death and the crowd willing every yorker into the base of the stumps, the atmosphere reaches an intensity that justifies every claim Mumbai makes about being India’s cricketing heartbeat.
Mumbai operates on India Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30). An IPL evening match at 19:30 IST translates to 15:00 BST in London, 10:00 AM EDT in New York, and 00:00 midnight AEST in Sydney. Check whatisthetime.now/mumbai for current local time or whatisthetime.now/country/india for Indian timezone details.