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Floodlights to be Installed at the SSC Ground in Sri Lanka for the Men's T20 World Cup
Floodlights to be Installed at the SSC Ground in Sri Lanka for the Men's T20 World Cup
The iconic Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo is set to undergo a major transformation ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with the installation of floodlights and related upgrades now underway as Sri Lanka prepares to co-host the tournament with India from 7 February to 8 March 2026.
The Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo is being upgraded with floodlights and other facilities ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup, which Sri Lanka will co-host with India in February and March next year. While SSC has hosted some daytime limited-overs matches, especially women’s games, all of Colombo’s day-night internationals have so far been played at the R Premadasa Stadium (Khettarama), the largest stadium in the country.
The first SSC match under lights will be the Group B clash between Oman and Zimbabwe on February 9, starting at 3 pm local time. In total, SSC will host five World Cup games. The opening fixture there, Netherlands vs Pakistan on February 7, begins at 11 am, while Pakistan vs USA on February 10 is the only game scheduled for a 7 pm start. Khettarama will stage at least eight matches, including possibly the semi-final and final if Pakistan qualifies, while Pallekele Sri Lanka’s only World Cup venue outside Colombo will host seven matches.
The addition of floodlights at SSC could also pave the way for day-night Test matches in Sri Lanka. Although Khettarama is the main venue for limited-overs cricket, SSC and the P Sara Oval remain popular for Tests because of their traditional, boutique atmosphere. Sri Lanka has never hosted a day-night Test, though several Test captains have requested one over the years.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that construction of the floodlights at SSC is already underway. The ICC has announced that the T20 World Cup will run from February 7 to March 8, spread across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka.