Sri Lanka Cricket has faced heavy criticism from all corners for the proposed new cricket ground in Homagama at an approximate cost of US$ 40 million. Former captains Roshan Mahanama and Mahela Jayawardene have raised their voices against the new venture telling their former employer that a new ground is not necessity at the moment.
Source – The Island
SLC has argued that they intend to bid for future ICC events and that they need to have a venue that could host around 40,000 fans.
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“I have officiated World Cup matches world over and only one cricket ground in New Zealand has a capacity to host more than 40,000 fans. Even in other places like South Africa and England there are smaller stadiums in which World Cup games have been played. I am pretty certain that facilities that we have at the moment are more than adequate if we win a World Cup bid,” Roshan Mahanama, a former ICC Match Referees told The Island.
“To say that we will borrow a loan and build a stadium is absurd. We are yet to repay the loan we borrowed for Hambantota stadium. We have got some excellent facilities and our focus should be on upgrading these facilities,” Mahanama added.
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“At this hour, a lot of people who are directly or indirectly associated with the game are suffering due to the outbreak of COVID 19 pandemic. SLC need to look towards the requirement of these people at the moment rather than looking at their vanity projects,” he added.
Another former captain Mahela Jayawardene, who has been critical of the project posting a message on twitter said that the country had hosted two ICC World Cups with the existing facilities.
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He also said to bid for the event first and then if you get it to think of building with financial assistance from ICC.
SLC meanwhile yesterday highlighted the need for the ground saying that with land value ever increasing, they needed to invest soon. Officials also pointed out that the board was looking to put up a state of the art facility at a location owned by them in an area close to the city.
R. Premadasa Stadium where SLC’s coaching facilities are housed at the moment has been leased from Sugathadasa Sports Complex while the building where SLC’s office is located is owned by Sinhalese Sports Club.
