Mahela Jayawardene questions Sri Lanka government’s plan to build largest stadium in Homagama

Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka cricketer, reckons that Sri Lanka shouldn’t opt for building the largest cricket stadium in the country. It’s because the veteran feels that the current infrastructure isn’t being used enough for domestic cricket. Earlier, the Lankan government, collaborated with SLC and made the announcement on Sunday, May 17.

It plans to build the largest stadium with a capacity of 60,000 and spread over 26 acres in Diyagama, Homagama. However, Jayawardene, who scored a century in a losing cause in the 2011 World Cup final, questioned the move, bearing in mind the amount of cricket being played at the current venues.

“We don’t even play enough international cricket or domestic first-class cricket in the existing stadiums we have … Do we need another one?” Jayawardene wrote on his official Twitter handle.

Here is Mahela Jayawardene’S tweet

😲😲😲 We don’t even play enough international cricket or domestic first class cricket in the existing stadiums we have … Do we need another one? 🤦‍♂️ https://t.co/8CgmgiDyy1

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) May 17, 2020

Earlier, a delegation, led by SLC President Shammi Silva and Information Communications Technology, Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Minister Bandula Gunawardena visited the site. “The stadium, which will have floodlight facilities, is to be completed within three years. “We think this will cost us around USD 30 to 40 million,” Silva was quoted as saying.

At the present point in time, Sri Lanka has as many as eight stadiums in Kandy, Galle, Colombo, Hambantota, Dambulla, Pallekele and Moratuwa. The last international series to take place in Lanka was the T20Is and ODIs versus the West Indies.

At the present point in time, no cricket is being played in Sri Lanka due to the massive coronavirus outbreak. Previously in March, their home Tests against Joe Root’s England had to be cancelled. The series is now expected to take place in January next year. A number of their players were also scheduled to play in the IPL, which had to be postponed indefinitely as well.

But the situation in Lanka has improved over the last couple of weeks. Hence the SLC hasn’t ruled out the tours of India and Bangladesh in July. Even as India are scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is, the Tigers will be playing a couple of matches in the World Test Championship. It remains to be seen how things pan out in the future.