Sooriyawewa Stadium opens new era for cricket
Chris DHAMBARAGE
Sri Lanka Cricket will see the dawn of a new era when the first ever
one day international between the touring West Indies and Sri Lanka
begins at the historic Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Sooriyawewa,
Hambanthota on Thursday.
This day night encounter will see the beginning of a new chapter in
Sri Lankan cricket with this venue set to host two ICC 2011 World Cup
matches as well. Not only that the stadium is also earmarked as a venue
to host some of the games in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in 2012.
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The Mahinda Rajapaksa International
Cricket Stadium in Sooriyawewa, Hambanthota which will host
the opening two one day matches between Sri Lanka and the
West Indies on December 9 and 11. Picture by Saman Mendis |
The ICC Tournament Director Suraj Dandeniya stated that all
arrangements have been finalized to baptize this ground as Sri Lanka’s
best ever international venue and probably one of the picturesque
grounds in World cricket.
Dandeniya stated that the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium will be the
biggest in the world and will have all the modern facilities to meet
international standards. In fact this will be Sri Lanka’s third floodlit
international cricket stadium. The National Curator Anuruddha Polonowita
confirmed that this will be the biggest ground in the world with a
playing area of one hundred metres long and one hundred metres wide.
Dandeniya further noted that during the opening two one day
internationals between Sri Lanka and the West Indies the country will
benefit with revenue of approximately Rs. 50 million which will be a
huge boost for the tourist industry.
As a result the entire Southern Province is set to be reawakened with
the birth of a new generation through the establishment of several new
hotels, transportation, entertainment and other services etc.
But more importantly Hambanthota will enter the World map as an
international cricketing venue with the new stadium set to be admired by
many top international cricketers, officials and cricket fans.
In fact the floodlights will be the main attraction of the stadium
and once the work is totally completed it is expected to resemble a
pearl shaped object.
This stadium will also provide a great opportunity for 18 cricket
playing schools in the Hambantota area where the cricketers have not had
the privilege to play on turf wickets.
The ground will no doubt be very helpful for the promising young
cricketers in the area to reach international standards. The stadium is
expected to fulfill the International Cricket Council requirements of
holding at least 30,000 spectators.
The grandstand alone will hold 8,000 spectators while a total of
20,000 permanent seats will be fixed while the standing pavilions will
have the capacity to hold 15,000 spectators.
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