This archive report was first published on 21 May 2020.
On May 21, 2020, Sri Lanka's prime minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, scrapped plans for a Ksh 4.2 billion ($40 million) cricket stadium in Homagama, near Colombo, following opposition from local cricket legends.
Former captains Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene led the criticism, arguing that the funds would be better spent supporting young players and developing school cricket.
According to a statement from the PM's office, a meeting with former top players decided to allocate funds for building school cricket instead of the proposed stadium.
The decision comes after Information and Higher Education minister Bandula Gunawardana proposed the stadium, which was set to be built in his local constituency.
The governing body, Sri Lanka Cricket, had initially backed the plan, with speculation that it could fund the project using international loans.
The move is seen as a reversal of a similar project initiated by Rajapaksa during his presidency between 2005 and 2010, which resulted in a 35,000-capacity international cricket stadium in Hambantota becoming a white elephant.
