The Stadium and the Tsunami

This is the Galle cricket stadium, one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world.

But international cricket matches may not be played here again.

The stadium is right in the middle of the city. Unusually, people can watch matches from outside the stadium.
Sri Lanka’s most famous cricketers say Galle’s stadium is unique.

People on the road can actually watch the match and if the match is interesting, then they will pay and then come in and enjoy more. So all of a sudden from having 1000 people it could go up to about 5000 or 6000 just like that. The stadium was devastated by the 2004 tsunami. People all over the world donated money to rebuild the venue. The Galle stadium became a symbol of resistance. ‘We were touring New Zealand and the first pictures we saw actually of the tsunami was the Galle central bus station and the Galle cricket stadium – and we realized how high the water levels were because even the main top pavilion was covered.