Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe says the arrival of the Australian cricket team for the Sri Lanka tour will help generate revenue around USD 3.5 million.
Speaking to media in Kandy yesterday, the Minister said this is beneficial to the country’s economy.
The Minister said around USD 3 million of the sum is generated towards the tourism industry, including hotels, transport facilities, including the Ceylon Electricity Board.
He noted that money is generated through sport.
The Minister also criticised efforts that brought a halt to the construction of the Biyagama cricket stadium due to criticism at the time.
Minister Ranasinghe claimed the funds for the stadium construction was not allocated by the government but by Sri Lanka Cricket.
He noted that had the stadium been constructed, the 2030 World Cup could have been played in Sri Lanka and charged that given the present status, Sri Lanka and India would most likely have to jointly host the World Cup.
