Mahela questions decision to build another cricket stadium

Former Sri Lanka Cricket captain Mahela Jayawardena has questioned the decision to construct another international cricket stadium in the country.

Jayawardena tweeted questioning if Sri Lanka needs another stadium when existing stadiums are not fully utilised.

“We don?t even play enough international cricket or domestic first class cricket in the existing stadiums we have … Do we need another one?” Jayawardena tweeted.

Earlier today the Government announced that Sri Lanka?s biggest cricket stadium is to be constructed in Homagama.

Cabinet co-spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena, Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development Priyath Bandu Wickrama and Sri Lanka Cricket Board officials inspected the land today (Sunday) where the stadium will be constructed.

Gunawardena said that construction of the stadium, which had been suspended, will now resume.

He said that 26 acres of land has been allocated for the project at diyagama in Homagama.

The project had been initiated when Mahinda Rajapaksa was President but was later suspended.

Gunawardena said that the international cricket stadium will initially have a seating capacity of 40,000 and will be able to host day and night matches.

Under the second stage, the stadium will have an additional 20,000 seating capacity, taking the total seating capacity to 60,000.?(Colombo Gazette)