Covers 89 international matches at this ground from Jan 2003 to Dec 2025.
Defend in ODIs, chase in T20Is: the Newlands pitch report points in opposite directions depending on the format. In Cape Town the side setting a target has taken 17 of 26 ODIs, yet chasers have won 14 of 21 men’s T20Is.
The data holds 89 internationals at the South African ground from Jan 2003 to Dec 2025, including 26 Tests. Most recently, on 5 Dec 2025, the South Africa women beat Ireland by 105 runs in a T20I.
Reading the Cape Town Scores: Bat First or Chase
In ODIs the defending side leads 17 to 9. Without the single DLS game, sides batting first make 261 on average while replies reach only 210. Cape Town’s best ODI chase is 259, and 201 was once enough.
Men’s T20Is flip that: 14 successful chases against 6 defended totals. Innings one and two are close, 157 and 149; chasers have got as far as 192, and 154 is the lowest total to win batting first. In women’s T20Is batting first has won 10 to 6, with openers at 152 and replies at 124.
Tests fade sharply. Opening innings bring 331 on average and second innings 303; by the third the figure is 255 and by the last 167. The biggest successful chase batting last is 236, and just 4 of 26 Tests were drawn. The toss has hardly mattered, its winner taking 43 of 84 decided games.
Newlands capacity and location
Capacity as published on the ground's Wikipedia page (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newlands_Cricket_Ground). Figures change with redevelopment and temporary stands.
Ground
City
Country
Capacity
Newlands
Cape Town
South Africa
25,000
Newlands cricket stats by format
Format
Matches
Won batting first
Won chasing
Avg 1st inns
First match
Latest match
Tests
26
–
–
–
2 Jan 2003
3 Jan 2025
ODIs
26
17
9
259
9 Feb 2003
19 Dec 2024
T20Is
21
6
14
157
12 Sep 2007
1 Dec 2020
T20Is (women)
16
10
6
152
9 Mar 2016
5 Dec 2025
Newlands Pitch Report: Average Scores and Chasing
Matches with a result decided by DLS are left out of this table. The last column shows the most recent ten first innings where there are enough matches.
Format
Matches
Avg 1st inns
Avg 2nd inns
Highest chased
Lowest defended
Avg 1st inns, last 10
ODIs
25
261
210
259
201
278
T20Is
21
157
149
192
154
171
T20Is (women)
16
152
124
151
119
165
Newlands Test Scores by Innings
Format
Tests
1st inns
2nd inns
3rd inns
4th inns
Highest 4th-inns chase
Tests
26
331
303
255
167
236
Newlands Tests records
Tests in this record book: 26, from Jan 2003 to Jan 2025.
Most runs
Batter
M
Inns
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100s
50s
JH Kallis South Africa
15
24
1,471
224
70.05
53.14
6
6
AB de Villiers South Africa
19
30
1,344
163
48.00
58.01
3
7
HM Amla South Africa
19
33
1,332
201
42.97
49.21
3
6
GC Smith South Africa
15
26
1,226
183
51.08
69.03
4
5
D Elgar South Africa
12
22
757
141*
42.06
48.78
2
3
AG Prince South Africa
9
15
638
150
58.00
41.92
2
2
F du Plessis South Africa
10
18
632
103
37.18
45.40
1
4
BA Stokes England
2
4
403
258
100.75
113.20
1
1
Q de Kock South Africa
6
10
383
101
38.30
72.81
1
3
AN Petersen South Africa
6
11
381
109
38.10
54.90
2
1
Most wickets
Bowler
M
Inns
Wkts
Best
Avg
Econ
5w
DW Steyn South Africa
15
29
74
5/75
21.76
2.95
1
VD Philander South Africa
11
22
53
6/42
18.26
2.79
4
K Rabada South Africa
9
18
52
6/55
21.56
3.78
1
M Morkel South Africa
11
22
44
5/23
27.95
3.25
2
M Ntini South Africa
9
18
40
4/33
25.65
3.12
0
JH Kallis South Africa
14
24
25
4/13
29.52
2.76
0
PL Harris South Africa
6
11
21
6/127
31.67
2.46
1
JJ Bumrah India
3
6
18
6/61
16.33
3.17
2
SM Pollock South Africa
4
8
18
4/45
16.67
2.14
0
JM Anderson England
3
5
16
5/40
18.81
2.61
2
Highest individual scores
Batter
Score
Balls
4s
6s
Against
Date
SP Fleming New Zealand
262
423
31
2
South Africa
27 Apr 2006
RD Rickelton South Africa
259
343
29
3
Pakistan
3 Jan 2025
BA Stokes England
258
198
30
11
South Africa
2 Jan 2016
HH Gibbs South Africa
228
240
29
6
Pakistan
2 Jan 2003
JH Kallis South Africa
224
325
31
1
Sri Lanka
3 Jan 2012
Best bowling figures
Bowler
Figures
Overs
Against
Date
Harbhajan Singh India
7/120
38
South Africa
2 Jan 2011
Mohammed Siraj India
6/15
9
South Africa
3 Jan 2024
VD Philander South Africa
6/42
15.4
India
5 Jan 2018
K Rabada South Africa
6/55
17
Sri Lanka
2 Jan 2017
JJ Bumrah India
6/61
13.5
South Africa
3 Jan 2024
Newlands Highest Score in Tests
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
South Africa
651
154.3
Australia
Newlands, Cape Town
19 Mar 2009
England
629/6
125.5
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
2 Jan 2016
South Africa
627/7
211
England
Newlands, Cape Town
2 Jan 2016
South Africa
620/7
135
Pakistan
Newlands, Cape Town
2 Jan 2003
South Africa
615
141.3
Pakistan
Newlands, Cape Town
3 Jan 2025
Lowest all-out totals
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
New Zealand
45
19.2
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
2 Jan 2013
Australia
47
18
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
9 Nov 2011
Zimbabwe
54
31.2
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
4 Mar 2005
South Africa
55
23.2
India
Newlands, Cape Town
3 Jan 2024
South Africa
96
24.3
Australia
Newlands, Cape Town
9 Nov 2011
Newlands ODIs records
ODIs in this record book: 26, from Feb 2003 to Dec 2024.
Most runs
Batter
M
Inns
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100s
50s
AB de Villiers South Africa
12
12
545
121
54.50
100.18
2
3
GC Smith South Africa
12
12
439
86
39.91
77.56
0
5
HH Gibbs South Africa
9
9
418
119
46.44
85.13
2
1
Q de Kock South Africa
8
8
410
124
51.25
97.62
2
2
JH Kallis South Africa
9
9
401
109*
50.12
77.26
1
4
JP Duminy South Africa
9
9
352
73
39.11
83.61
0
4
F du Plessis South Africa
6
6
330
185
66.00
94.02
1
2
V Kohli India
3
3
253
160*
126.50
89.08
1
1
MV Boucher South Africa
8
8
228
49
38.00
95.40
0
0
JM Kemp South Africa
4
4
216
100*
216.00
126.32
1
2
Most wickets
Bowler
M
Inns
Wkts
Best
Avg
Econ
5w
M Ntini South Africa
7
7
19
6/22
8.68
2.68
1
M Morkel South Africa
4
4
13
4/36
10.92
3.80
0
SM Pollock South Africa
9
9
13
4/26
16.85
2.77
0
K Rabada South Africa
6
6
12
3/34
26.25
5.53
0
AL Phehlukwayo South Africa
7
7
10
3/40
31.70
5.66
0
Imran Tahir South Africa
7
7
10
3/53
32.20
4.88
0
WD Parnell South Africa
4
4
9
5/48
22.89
5.78
1
DW Steyn South Africa
8
8
9
3/33
38.00
4.73
0
CK Langeveldt South Africa
5
5
8
3/35
19.75
4.07
0
A Nel South Africa
5
5
8
3/30
19.88
4.08
0
Highest individual scores
Batter
Score
Balls
4s
6s
Against
Date
F du Plessis South Africa
185
141
16
3
Sri Lanka
7 Feb 2017
DA Warner Australia
173
136
24
0
South Africa
12 Oct 2016
V Kohli India
160*
159
12
2
South Africa
7 Feb 2018
Q de Kock South Africa
124
130
12
2
India
23 Jan 2022
RR Rossouw South Africa
122
118
14
2
Australia
12 Oct 2016
Best bowling figures
Bowler
Figures
Overs
Against
Date
M Ntini South Africa
6/22
9.3
Australia
3 Mar 2006
WD Parnell South Africa
5/48
9.3
England
27 Nov 2009
WPUJC Vaas Sri Lanka
4/22
10
West Indies
28 Feb 2003
Kuldeep Yadav India
4/23
9
South Africa
7 Feb 2018
SM Pollock South Africa
4/26
9
India
26 Nov 2006
Newlands Highest Score in ODIs
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
South Africa
367/5
50
Sri Lanka
Newlands, Cape Town
7 Feb 2017
South Africa
354/6
50
England
Newlands, Cape Town
27 Nov 2009
Pakistan
329
49.5
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
19 Dec 2024
South Africa
327/8
50
Australia
Newlands, Cape Town
12 Oct 2016
Sri Lanka
327
48.1
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
7 Feb 2017
Lowest all-out totals
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
West Indies
54
23.2
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
25 Jan 2004
Australia
93
34.3
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
3 Mar 2006
Pakistan
107
45.4
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
11 Feb 2007
Pakistan
134
31
England
Newlands, Cape Town
22 Feb 2003
India
168
41.3
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
26 Nov 2006
Newlands T20Is records
T20Is in this record book: 21, from Sep 2007 to Dec 2020.
Most runs
Batter
M
Inns
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100s
50s
F du Plessis South Africa
9
9
287
78
35.88
131.05
0
3
JP Duminy South Africa
8
8
238
67
39.67
131.49
0
2
ML Hayden Australia
4
4
202
73*
202.00
154.20
0
3
DA Miller South Africa
10
10
200
41
22.22
126.58
0
0
HM Amla South Africa
4
4
171
97*
57.00
132.56
0
1
HE van der Dussen South Africa
5
5
169
74*
42.25
152.25
0
1
RR Hendricks South Africa
6
6
155
74
25.83
127.05
0
1
AC Gilchrist Australia
4
4
123
45
41.00
141.38
0
0
DJ Malan England
2
2
118
99*
118.00
176.12
0
1
Mohammad Hafeez Pakistan
3
3
118
63
39.33
142.17
0
1
Most wickets
Bowler
M
Inns
Wkts
Best
Avg
Econ
5w
Imran Tahir South Africa
5
5
13
4/21
9.69
6.30
0
SR Clark Australia
4
4
9
4/20
8.78
4.94
0
NW Bracken Australia
4
4
8
3/16
8.62
4.81
0
E Chigumbura Zimbabwe
2
2
7
4/31
7.29
7.29
0
B Lee Australia
4
4
7
3/27
16.57
7.25
0
SM Pollock South Africa
2
2
5
3/40
11.40
7.60
0
Shahid Afridi Pakistan
3
3
5
3/28
15.40
6.42
0
MG Johnson Australia
4
4
5
3/22
18.80
5.88
0
CJ Jordan England
3
3
5
3/23
21.00
8.75
0
T Shamsi South Africa
5
5
5
2/33
34.60
9.11
0
Highest individual scores
Batter
Score
Balls
4s
6s
Against
Date
DJ Malan England
99*
47
11
5
South Africa
1 Dec 2020
HM Amla South Africa
97*
62
8
4
Australia
9 Mar 2016
JM Bairstow England
86*
48
9
4
South Africa
27 Nov 2020
KP Pietersen England
79
37
7
4
Zimbabwe
13 Sep 2007
F du Plessis South Africa
78
45
6
4
Pakistan
1 Feb 2019
Best bowling figures
Bowler
Figures
Overs
Against
Date
SR Clark Australia
4/20
4
Sri Lanka
20 Sep 2007
Imran Tahir South Africa
4/21
4
England
19 Feb 2016
E Chigumbura Zimbabwe
4/31
4
England
13 Sep 2007
Umar Gul Pakistan
3/15
4
New Zealand
22 Sep 2007
NW Bracken Australia
3/16
4
England
14 Sep 2007
Highest T20I Totals at Newlands
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
Australia
193/5
20
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
26 Feb 2020
South Africa
192/6
20
Pakistan
Newlands, Cape Town
1 Feb 2019
England
192/1
17.4
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
1 Dec 2020
South Africa
191/3
20
England
Newlands, Cape Town
1 Dec 2020
England
188/9
20
Zimbabwe
Newlands, Cape Town
13 Sep 2007
Lowest all-out totals
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
South Africa
96
15.3
Australia
Newlands, Cape Town
26 Feb 2020
Sri Lanka
101
19.3
Australia
Newlands, Cape Town
20 Sep 2007
England
135
20
Australia
Newlands, Cape Town
14 Sep 2007
Bangladesh
140
19.4
Pakistan
Newlands, Cape Town
20 Sep 2007
Bangladesh
144
19.3
South Africa
Newlands, Cape Town
15 Sep 2007
Newlands T20Is (women) records
T20Is in this record book: 16, from Mar 2016 to Dec 2025.
Most runs
Batter
M
Inns
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100s
50s
L Wolvaardt South Africa
5
5
313
115*
104.33
137.89
1
3
T Brits South Africa
5
5
150
68
37.50
98.68
0
2
JI Rodrigues India
4
4
141
53*
47.00
139.60
0
1
BL Mooney Australia
2
2
128
74*
128.00
142.22
0
2
H Kaur India
4
4
128
52
42.67
121.90
0
1
Most wickets
Bowler
M
Inns
Wkts
Best
Avg
Econ
5w
S Ismail South Africa
7
7
9
3/27
19.11
6.14
0
A Khaka South Africa
5
5
7
4/29
19.86
6.95
0
Nashra Sandhu Pakistan
3
3
6
4/18
12.00
6.00
0
M Kapp South Africa
7
7
6
2/17
26.00
6.00
0
S Pandey India
2
2
5
3/16
9.60
6.86
0
Highest individual scores
Batter
Score
Balls
4s
6s
Against
Date
L Wolvaardt South Africa
115*
56
15
4
Ireland
5 Dec 2025
Muneeba Ali Pakistan
102
68
14
0
Ireland
15 Feb 2023
NR Sciver-Brunt England
81*
40
12
1
Pakistan
21 Feb 2023
S Luus South Africa
81
51
11
1
Ireland
5 Dec 2025
SW Bates New Zealand
81*
61
7
1
Bangladesh
17 Feb 2023
Best bowling figures
Bowler
Figures
Overs
Against
Date
Nashra Sandhu Pakistan
4/18
4
Ireland
15 Feb 2023
S Luus South Africa
4/22
4
Ireland
5 Dec 2025
A Khaka South Africa
4/29
4
England
24 Feb 2023
D van Niekerk South Africa
3/12
4
Sri Lanka
1 Feb 2019
DB Sharma India
3/15
4
West Indies
15 Feb 2023
Highest totals
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
South Africa
220/2
20
Ireland
Newlands, Cape Town
5 Dec 2025
England
213/5
20.1
Pakistan
Newlands, Cape Town
21 Feb 2023
New Zealand
189/3
20
Bangladesh
Newlands, Cape Town
17 Feb 2023
Australia
172/4
20
India
Newlands, Cape Town
23 Feb 2023
India
167/8
20
Australia
Newlands, Cape Town
23 Feb 2023
Newlands IPL records
IPL matches at this ground: 7, from Apr 2009 to Apr 2009.
Newlands IPL Pitch Report, 2009
Matches
Avg 1st inns
Avg 2nd inns
Won batting first
Won chasing
Highest chased
Lowest defended
Avg 1st inns, last 10
7
145
122
4
1
104
133
–
Most IPL runs at Newlands
Batter
M
Inns
Runs
HS
Avg
SR
100s
50s
R Dravid Royal Challengers Bengaluru
2
2
114
66
57.00
152.00
0
1
RG Sharma Deccan Chargers
2
2
88
52
88.00
141.94
0
1
AC Gilchrist Deccan Chargers
2
2
84
71
42.00
150.00
0
1
RA Jadeja Rajasthan Royals
3
3
70
37
23.33
87.50
0
0
KC Sangakkara Punjab Kings
2
2
68
60
34.00
109.68
0
1
YK Pathan Rajasthan Royals
3
3
63
42
21.00
131.25
0
0
SR Tendulkar Mumbai Indians
1
1
59
59*
–
120.41
0
1
HH Gibbs Deccan Chargers
2
2
56
43*
56.00
169.70
0
0
Most IPL wickets at Newlands
Bowler
M
Inns
Wkts
Best
Avg
Econ
5w
RP Singh Deccan Chargers
2
2
6
4/22
6.50
5.09
0
A Kumble Royal Challengers Bengaluru
2
2
5
5/5
8.80
6.14
1
Kamran Khan Rajasthan Royals
3
3
5
3/18
10.80
4.91
0
SB Styris Deccan Chargers
2
2
5
3/32
12.80
8.00
0
MM Patel Rajasthan Royals
3
3
5
2/24
17.00
8.50
0
AD Mascarenhas Rajasthan Royals
3
3
4
3/20
19.50
6.50
0
SK Warne Rajasthan Royals
3
3
4
2/18
20.00
6.67
0
SL Malinga Mumbai Indians
1
1
3
3/15
5.00
3.75
0
Highest IPL Scores at Newlands
Batter
Score
Balls
4s
6s
Against
Date
AC Gilchrist Deccan Chargers
71
45
6
5
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
22 Apr 2009
R Dravid Royal Challengers Bengaluru
66
48
8
1
Rajasthan Royals
18 Apr 2009
KC Sangakkara Punjab Kings
60
51
7
1
Rajasthan Royals
26 Apr 2009
SR Tendulkar Mumbai Indians
59*
49
7
0
Chennai Super Kings
18 Apr 2009
RG Sharma Deccan Chargers
52
30
1
5
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
22 Apr 2009
Highest IPL Totals at Newlands, Cape Town
Team
Total
Overs
Against
Venue
Date
Deccan Chargers
184/6
20
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Newlands, Cape Town
22 Apr 2009
Mumbai Indians
165/7
20
Chennai Super Kings
Newlands, Cape Town
18 Apr 2009
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
160/8
20
Deccan Chargers
Newlands, Cape Town
22 Apr 2009
Rajasthan Royals
150/6
20
Kolkata Knight Riders
Newlands, Cape Town
23 Apr 2009
Kolkata Knight Riders
150/8
20
Rajasthan Royals
Newlands, Cape Town
23 Apr 2009
Team results at Newlands (men, all formats)
Team
Matches
Won
Lost
Drawn
Tied/NR
South Africa
62
39
18
4
1
Australia
15
8
7
0
0
England
15
5
8
2
0
Pakistan
14
5
9
0
0
India
11
5
5
1
0
Sri Lanka
8
2
5
0
1
West Indies
7
2
5
0
0
New Zealand
5
0
4
1
0
Bangladesh
3
0
3
0
0
Zimbabwe
3
1
2
0
0
Latest matches at Newlands
Match
Date
Venue
Result
South Africa v Ireland
5 Dec 2025
Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa won by 105 runs
South Africa v Pakistan
3 Jan 2025
Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa won by 10 wickets
Pakistan v South Africa
19 Dec 2024
Newlands, Cape Town
Pakistan won by 81 runs
South Africa v India
3 Jan 2024
Newlands, Cape Town
India won by 7 wickets
Australia v South Africa
26 Feb 2023
Newlands, Cape Town
Australia won by 19 runs
South Africa v England
24 Feb 2023
Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa won by 6 runs
Australia v India
23 Feb 2023
Newlands, Cape Town
Australia won by 5 runs
Bangladesh v South Africa
21 Feb 2023
Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa won by 10 wickets
England v Pakistan
21 Feb 2023
Newlands, Cape Town
England won by 114 runs
Ireland v West Indies
17 Feb 2023
Newlands, Cape Town
West Indies won by 6 wickets
Newlands Leading Players and Home Record
Jacques Kallis (South Africa) has 1,471 Test runs at Newlands at 70.05, ahead of AB de Villiers on 1,344. The top Test innings belongs to a visitor, Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), who made 262 in Apr 2006. Low scores happen too: the hosts fell for 55 against India in Jan 2024 when Mohammed Siraj (India) took 6/15.
In ODIs, Faf du Plessis (South Africa) made 185 against Sri Lanka in Feb 2017, in a ground-best 367/5. South Africa’s men have won 39 of 62 games here. Two other South African venues worth a look are the Wanderers in Johannesburg and Kingsmead in Durban, while the South Africa team records give the national view.
Newlands in the IPL: Seven Games from 2009
The IPL came to Cape Town for one block of 7 games, from 18 Apr to 26 Apr 2009, the season that was staged in South Africa. Runs were scarce: first innings averaged 145 and second innings 122, and the side batting first won 4 games to 1 for the chaser. The best chase was only 104, while 133 was defended.
On 18 Apr 2009 Anil Kumble (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) took 5/5 and Rajasthan Royals fell for 58, the lowest IPL total here. Rahul Dravid (RCB) top-scored with 114 runs, and Deccan Chargers’ 184/6 against RCB is the highest total. Read more on the IPL 2009 records page.
Questions about Newlands
Is the Newlands pitch good for batting or bowling?
Bowlers get more help as a Test wears on: Newlands scores slide from 331 in the opening innings down to 167 in the closing one. In white-ball cricket it is a fair batting ground, with ODI openers at 261 with the newest ten even higher at 278.
What is the highest score at Newlands?
South Africa’s 651 against Australia in Mar 2009 heads the team list. Stephen Fleming of New Zealand made the top individual score, 262 in the Test starting 27 Apr 2006. In ODIs, South Africa’s 367/5 and Faf du Plessis’s 185, both against Sri Lanka in Feb 2017, are the records.
Should teams bat first or chase at Newlands?
That depends on the format. In ODIs, defending sides lead 17 to 9; in men’s T20Is, chasers lead 14 to 6; and in women’s T20Is, defenders lead 10 to 6.
Which bowler has the most Test wickets at Newlands?
Dale Steyn of South Africa, 74 at 21.76. Vernon Philander is next on 53 wickets.
What is the highest IPL score at Newlands?
The best IPL total at Newlands is 184/6, by Deccan Chargers versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Apr 2009. Adam Gilchrist’s 71 from 45 balls, in the same game, is the best individual IPL innings, and all 7 IPL games here were played that month.
What is the seating capacity of Newlands?
Newlands holds about 25,000 spectators, going by its published capacity. Capacity can change after redevelopment or when temporary stands are added for big events.