Phone +94 47 3 626830 Establishment 2009 | Capacity 35,000 | |
Similar Pallekele International Cricket St, R Premadasa Stadium, Galle International Stadium, Rangiri Dambulla Internatio, Sardar Patel Stadium | ||
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium (Sinhalese: මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්යන්තර ක්රීඩාංගනය, Tamil: மகிந்த ராஜபக்ச சர்வதேச கிரிக்கெட் விளையாட்டு மைதானம்), or abbreviately as MRIC Stadium, is an international cricket stadium in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. It was built for the 2011 Cricket World Cup and hosted two matches, the first being Sri Lanka against Canada, on 20 February 2011. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people making It the second largest stadium in Sri Lanka.
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However it has come under extreme criticism and has been called a white elephant as only a few matches are held in it and the extreme costs for construction and maintenance.
History
The proposal for a new International Cricket Stadium at Sooriyawewa was part of the government's programme to develop sports in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka as part of the government's plan to transform Hambantota into the second major urban hub of Sri Lanka, away from Colombo.
The following 2011 Cricket World Cup matches were held at Hambantota International Cricket Stadium in February, 2011. The first official international match was between Sri Lanka and Canada on 20 February 2011, which Sri Lanka won by 210 runs. Two matches were played at the venue during the World Cup.
The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium hosted three 2012 ICC World Twenty20 matches. The curator of the ground is Ravi Dissanayake and Manager is Colonel Shanaka Ratnayake.
Trivia
World Cup Cricket
In 2011, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium hosted two successful world cup matches.
ICC World Twenty20
Sri Lanka hosted the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. Three matches were played at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium. Other matches were played at R. Premadasa Stadium and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.