Colombo, May 18: Sri Lankan government plan to build their largest cricket stadium in Homagama, but former skipper Mahela Jayawardene has questioned the need for it as he feels the existing infrastructure is only not used enough right now.
The government, in collaboration with Sri Lanka Cricket, on Sunday (May 17) announced the plan for construction of the country's largest cricket stadium, with a capacity of 60,000, spread over 26 acre in Diyagama, Homagama.
With very little cricket being played in the country's existing venues, Jayawardene took to social media to question the need for another stadium.
"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 twitter handle.
😲😲😲 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
Sri Lanka currently boasts of eight international stadiums in Kandy, Galle, Colombo, Hambantota, Dambulla, Pallekele and Moratuwa.
The site was visited by a delegation led by SLC president Shammi Silva and Information Communications Technology, Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Minister Bandula Gunawardena.
The plan is for the stadium, which will have floodlight facilities, to be completed within three years. And the cricket board's chief revealed that it could cost close to USD 40 million.
"We think this will cost us around USD 30 to 40 million," Silva said.