Namal Bats For Mahela Over Controversy On New Cricket Ground: Says Mahela's Viewpoints Must Be Given "Serious Thought"

Former MP Namal Rajapaksa expressed support for former Cricket captain Mahela Jayawardena's views on constructing

"Infrastructure development is vital for any sport but this shouldn’t have been a priority at a time like this. @MahelaJay has a valid point & should be given serious thought. The authorities must always involve all stakeholders & get their opinion before making the final decision," Rajapaksa tweeted.

However, Jayawardena has come under severe criticism from supporters of the government on social media.

This morning, Jayawardena reiterated his opposition to the government's plans to construct the country's "biggest international cricket stadium" in Homagama.

Commenting on the move on Sunday, Jayawardena questioned the rationale behind constructing more stadium when Sri Lanka does not play enough matches in the existing stadiums. Responding to the criticism on the move, Sri Lanka Cricket said they intended to construct the ground with the expectations of hosting the ICC World Cup in the time to come.

Jayawardena said, "You construct infrastructure. You don’t build a stadium for 40mill USD hoping to get a WC in 10-15 years time. " You first bid for the WC and if you get it then with the financial assistance from the ICC "