Sri Lanka Cricket said it has borne a cost of Rs. 1.7 billion for ongoing development work at the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds in Colombo, which is being upgraded ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Sri Lanka Cricket conducted a media tour of the SSC Grounds today to brief journalists on the latest developments taking place at the venue in preparation for the tournament.
The Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds will be one of the host venues of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and is scheduled to host five matches during the competition. The first match at the venue will be played on February 7, 2026, between Pakistan and the Netherlands.
SLC officials said construction work at the ground is expected to be completed by January 20, 2026.
A key component of the upgrades is the installation of a new state-of-the-art floodlight system, which will enable day-night international matches at the SSC for the first time.
According to SLC, the new lighting system is based on advanced LED technology designed to meet international sports and broadcast standards. The system uses high-performance LED luminaires with a correlated color temperature of 5,700 Kelvin and a color rendering index of 90, ensuring enhanced visual clarity for players, officials and spectators.
The floodlighting installation consists of 630 LED fixtures mounted on six high-mast towers, designed to provide uniform illumination across the playing area while minimizing glare and shadows. A modern lighting control system will allow multiple operational modes, including dynamic lighting scenes aimed at improving the spectator experience.
Samantha Dodanwala, Chairman of the SSC Cricket Committee, told NewsWire that the floodlights will be made available for school and club cricket for day-night matches after the conclusion of the World Cup.
He also said that the spectator capacity of the stadium will be increased gradually as part of the long-term development plan for the venue.
Commenting on the cost of the project, Sujeewa Godaliyadda said the Rs. 1.7 billion expenditure should be viewed as a long-term investment rather than a one-off expense.
“This is an investment in Sri Lanka cricket. These improvements are not only for the World Cup, but for the future use of the ground by schools, clubs and international cricket,” Godaliyadda said.
Other developments at the SSC include the upgrading of players’ dressing rooms to further enhance international standards, the construction of new offices for match referees, third umpires and anti-corruption officers, and improvements to stadium facilities. (Newswire)
