Jaffna to Have a New International Cricket Stadium

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided to build an international cricket stadium in the northern capital Jaffna. SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala has confirmed the preliminary inspection of the site has already been completed.

Jaffna is popularly known as the hub of Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE). LTTE is a militant organisation created in 1976 to form an independent state of Tamil Eelam in the north and eastern part of India for Tamil people.

Sumathipala visited the Mandaithivu area in the Kayts islet of Jaffna district to examine a 50-acre plot for the purpose. All international stadiums in Sri Lanka are located either in the Western, Southern or Central regions.

Jaffna, the northern capital and the cultural capital of the Tamil minority has a long history of cricket. Since 1970, with the emergence of LTTE, it was difficult to develop the infrastructure development.

However, only a few Tamil cricketers have represented the Sri Lankan national team. The most prominent of them being the world’s highest Test wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan, who is of Indian origin and cricketer-turned-commentator Russell Arnold.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has started this year on a high under their new coach Chandika Hathurusingha after a disappointing 2017. They beat host Bangladesh by 79 runs in the final to win tri-nation series involving Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka will now play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh starting from tomorrow followed by two T20Is.

Sri Lanka has named uncapped off-spinner Akila Dhananjaya in the Test squad. Dhananjaya, who has not yet played a Test match is a regular in the limited-overs fixtures.

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