A new chapter is unfolding at Maitland Place. The Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), long regarded as Sri Lanka’s most prestigious cricket venue, is preparing to host night cricket for the very first time. Floodlights are being installed ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which Sri Lanka will co-host with India.
SSC will be one of three Sri Lankan venues for the tournament, alongside the R. Premadasa Stadium and Pallekele International Stadium. Five matches are scheduled at SSC, including a marquee day-night fixture between Pakistan and the USA.
Pakistan are set to make SSC their temporary Colombo home, with three of their four first-round matches slated for the ground. With this schedule, SSC becomes one of the most significant locations in the group stage.
In total, Sri Lanka will host 20 matches, with five at SSC, eight at R. Premadasa Stadium, and seven at Pallekele.
To meet World Cup standards, SSC is installing six floodlight towers at a cost of Rs. 1.8 billion (USD 5.85 million), funded by Sri Lanka Cricket as part of an ongoing investment in club infrastructure. A second phase is planned for after the tournament, which will expand the ground’s spectator capacity.
Right now, we’re on track with the floodlights. Colombo’s rain slowed us briefly over the last couple of weeks, but we remain ahead of schedule.
With this upgrade, Colombo will have three fully lit cricket venues, joining the R. Premadasa Stadium and the Colombo Cricket Club. This trio will be invaluable as Sri Lanka prepares to host the 2027 Women’s Champions Trophy, where all three grounds are expected to feature.
SSC’s history runs deep. The club has hosted Test cricket since 1984, ODIs since 1982, a 1996 World Cup day game, and the 2000 Under-19 World Cup final.
In recent years, SSC has been used mainly for Test matches, as most limited-overs cricket moved to day-night settings. Once the floodlights are switched on, the ground will reclaim its place as a hub for white-ball cricket, a return long anticipated by fans.
