SSC ground in Sri Lanka to get floodlights for men's T20 World Cup

The Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo will get floodlights and other upgrades in preparation for the Men's T20 World Cup, which Sri Lanka co-hosts with India in February and March next year. Although the SSC has occasionally hosted daytime limited-overs internationals - especially women's games - Colombo's day-night games have all been played at Khettarama (R Premadasa Stadium), which in any case is the highest-capacity stadium in the country.

SSC's first match that will require lights will be the T20 World Cup Group B game between Oman and Zimbabwe, scheduled to start at 3pm local time on February 9. It is one of five matches the SSC is due to host at this World Cup. The first of those - between Netherlands and Pakistan on February 7 - will begin at 11am local time whereas the third fixture - between Pakistan and USA on February 10 - is the only match there to start at 7pm local time. Khettarama is set to host at least eight matches, and possibly the first semi-final and the final if Pakistan make it that far. Pallekele, the only Sri Lanka World Cup venue not in Colombo, will host seven games.

Building floodlights at the SSC will open up fresh possibilities for Sri Lankan cricket with day-night Tests becoming more viable in the country. Although Khettarama is the preferred limited-overs venue in Colombo, the SSC and the P Sara Oval are still preferred for Tests, owing partly to their reputation for being boutique Test venues.

Sri Lanka has never hosted a day-night Test, but Sri Lanka's Test captains have also asked their board to arrange such a fixture, over the years.

SLC confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that floodlights construction were already under way at the SSC.

The ICC announced the schedule for the T20 World Cup on Tuesday, with the tournament set to run from February 7 to March 8 across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka.