The history of the Hambantota cricket stadium

Sri Lanka co-hosted the 2011 World Cup with India and Bangladesh, and the tournament became a chance to build new venues. The stadium at Sooriyawewa, about 30 to 40 minutes inland from Hambantota town, was built as part of a wider programme of development in the Hambantota district that also included a port, an airport and an expressway extension.

Named after Mahinda Rajapaksa, then president and a politician from the district, the stadium hosted group matches at the World Cup, including Sri Lanka's game against Canada. It is one of the larger grounds in the country, with capacity figures in the tens of thousands.

After the World Cup, the stadium's use was uneven for a time, and its remote location meant crowds were smaller for some fixtures.

The ground has hosted one-day and Twenty20 internationals, Asia Cup matches and Lanka Premier League games, but no Tests. Its pitches and the open, windy setting have produced a mix of high- and low-scoring matches.

Floodlights allow day-night games, which are the most comfortable for spectators given the heat of the deep south. In recent seasons the ground has become an important LPL venue.

For visiting fans, Hambantota is usually one stop on a white-ball tour rather than a destination in itself, but its proximity to Yala makes it unusually attractive.

The stadium sits in open, dry country, with scrub, tanks and paddy fields around it. Unlike Galle or Pallekele, it has no dramatic backdrop, but the big skies and the dry-zone light have their own appeal, especially at dusk.

Wind can be strong, especially during the southwest monsoon months, and the heat in the middle of the day is intense. Shade is limited in parts of the ground, so a hat and plenty of water are essential.

Wildlife is part of the area: peacocks and other birds are common, and elephants live in the parks and forests not far away.

The stadium is roughly an hour from Tissamaharama, the usual base for Yala, and about 30 to 40 minutes from Hambantota town. Tangalle, on the coast, is about an hour away. Most visitors come by car with a driver, as public transport to the ground is limited.

On non-match days, the exterior can be seen from the road, and entry is at the discretion of staff. On match days, arrive early, bring water and agree a pick-up point.

Lankan Stays & Trails can build a southern itinerary that combines a Hambantota match with a Yala safari and a beach stay, with transfers in between.

Hambantota's role has grown with the Lanka Premier League and with Sri Lanka's need for venues during the southwest monsoon, when the south's dry zone can be more reliable than Colombo or Galle. International fixtures come and go, so check Sri Lanka Cricket's schedule.

The wider development of the district, including the port and the expressway, means access is easier than when the stadium opened.

For visitors, a match here is a chance to see cricket in a part of the island few tourists visit, with safari and beaches close by.

Hambantota extended international cricket to the deep south, giving local fans their own ground and adding a venue far from Colombo. It is part of a story of new grounds built in the 2000s, alongside Pallekele and Dambulla.

For travellers, it is the stadium most closely linked to wildlife. A morning game drive in Yala and an evening match under lights is one of the more unusual days a cricket lover can plan.

Even without a match, the stadium is a reminder of how the south has changed in recent decades.