Sri Lanka Cricket has begun building the Jaffna International Cricket Stadium, a landmark project that will transform the Northern Province with world-class sports, tourism and entertainment facilities.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) today laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Jaffna International Cricket Stadium (JICS) in Mandaitivu, Jaffna. The ceremony was attended by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage and SLC President Shammi Silva, along with members of the SLC Executive Committee and management.
The Jaffna International Cricket Stadium will be Sri Lanka’s seventh international venue and the fifth equipped with floodlights, further expanding the country’s cricketing infrastructure.
This stadium is part of SLC’s ambitious plan to create a 138-acre Sports City in Jaffna, which will include a multi-sport indoor arena, swimming pool complex, star-class hotels, restaurants, a shopping mall and entertainment hubs.
The cricket ground itself will be constructed across 48 acres, featuring 10 center wickets, boundary distances of up to 80 meters exceeding international standards, and a seating capacity of 40,000. The facility aims to position Jaffna as a premier cricket and sporting destination.
Officials emphasized that the project will play a key role in promoting cricket in the Northern Province, complementing SLC’s National Pathway Program designed to provide equal opportunities for young players across the island to develop and reach national level.
The landmark initiative is not only expected to strengthen the country’s sporting ecosystem but also to boost tourism and economic development in the region.
