The short answer
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium: what visitors should know first
Worth a visit only around a scheduled match, since there is no general walk-in stadium tour; check the fixture list for international or IPL games during your visit and book tickets well ahead, as the venue sits some distance outside the city centre.
History and context
The story behind Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium
The Maharashtra Cricket Association broke ground on the stadium in October 2007, with then-BCCI president Sharad Pawar performing the ceremony, and construction, led by architect Michael Hopkins of Hopkins Architects, was completed by 2012. Since opening, the stadium has hosted international matches as well as Indian Premier League fixtures, establishing itself as one of the newer major venues on India's cricket circuit.
Useful facts
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium facts at a glance
- Location
- Gahunje, on Pune's outskirts
- Sport
- Cricket (international and IPL matches)
- When to go
- Only during a scheduled fixture; check the current cricket calendar
- Access
- Ticketed for specific matches; no general walk-in entry
- Founded
- Groundbreaking 2007; opened 2012
Why it matters
Why Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium is worth your time
Opened in 2012 after a groundbreaking ceremony in 2007, the stadium reflects Pune's growing role in India's cricket infrastructure at a time when the sport's Indian Premier League format was driving substantial new stadium investment across the country. Its scale, a capacity of roughly 42,700, positions Pune alongside other major Indian cities as a host for high-profile domestic and international matches, a status the city did not hold to the same degree before the ground's construction.
For cricket-following travellers, timing a visit to coincide with a match offers a very different, high-energy side of Pune compared with its heritage and pilgrimage sights, and reflects the genuine enthusiasm for the sport across Maharashtra.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
The bowl-shaped design
A purpose-built modern stadium by Hopkins Architects, offering strong sightlines from most seating tiers.
- 02
Match-day atmosphere
A lively, high-energy crowd typical of major Indian cricket venues during international and IPL fixtures.
- 03
Its role in Pune's sporting profile
One of the newer large stadiums that has helped establish Pune as a host city for major cricket matches.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
Designed by the architectural firm Hopkins Architects, the stadium takes a distinctive deep-bowl shape that gives good sightlines from most tiers, a deliberate design choice for a purpose-built modern cricket venue rather than a converted older ground. On match days, expect the full atmosphere of Indian cricket crowds: dense pre-match traffic around Gahunje, extensive security screening, and a lively, vocal crowd once play begins.
Because the ground is on the city's outskirts, well beyond the old-city sightseeing cluster, plan transport carefully, ideally with a private car or app-based cab, and build in extra time for both the journey and parking or drop-off logistics on a match day. Outside of scheduled fixtures, the stadium is not generally open for casual sightseeing or tours, so this is very much a destination tied to cricket's playing calendar rather than a year-round attraction.
Check the current IPL and international fixture list well before your trip if attending a match matters to your itinerary, since dates and ticket availability can change with little notice.
Plan with confidence
Event-led places reward a little planning.
- Check the international and IPL fixture calendar before planning around this venue
- Book tickets through official platforms well in advance of popular matches
- Arrange private transport, as the stadium is on the city outskirts
- Allow extra time for security screening and match-day traffic
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Gahunje, on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway side of the city outskirts
- Time needed
- A few hours around a match day; access outside fixtures is limited
- Best time
- During a scheduled international or IPL match, generally in the cooler months
- Walking level
- Moderate
- Senior comfort
- The stadium has tiered seating typical of large modern cricket grounds, which involves stairs to reach upper sections; check with organisers about accessible seating options if mobility is a concern. Match days involve significant walking from parking or transport drop-off points and large crowds.
- Tickets and access
- Access is fixture-led: tickets must be bought for a specific scheduled match, generally through official ticketing platforms; there is no general sightseeing entry outside match days.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
The stadium has tiered seating typical of large modern cricket grounds, which involves stairs to reach upper sections; check with organisers about accessible seating options if mobility is a concern. Match days involve significant walking from parking or transport drop-off points and large crowds.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Can I visit the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium without a match?
Generally no; there is no regular walk-in sightseeing tour, so a visit is only worthwhile around a scheduled international or IPL fixture.
How do I get to the stadium?
It is located in Gahunje on Pune's outskirts, best reached by private car or app-based cab, since it is well beyond the old-city sightseeing area.
When did the stadium open?
Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony in 2007, and the stadium opened in 2012.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.