THE International Cricket Council (ICC) has admitted that some work still needs to be completed at the World Cup venues in Sri Lanka.
The ICC has raised concerns at the progress of construction of the venues. The World Cup, co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, begins on February 19 after a week of warm-up games.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Wednesday that the venues for the upcoming one-day series against the West Indies have been changed.
ICC media and communications manager James Fitzgerald told the BBC Sinhala Service it wanted Sri Lanka to shift the venues for the series against the West Indies as “there is still some work required to be carried out.”
The three one-day internationals against the Windies were originally scheduled for early December, but were postponed until late January and early February because of persistent monsoon rains.
The rearranged matches were initially set to be played at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota and R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo, on February 3 and 6.
All three games will now be played at another Colombo venue, the Sinhalese Sports Club.
“SLC wishes to announce that in view of a directive issued by the ICC to the effect that no games should be played at any of the World Cup venues, SLC is compelled to make the above changes,” the board said in a statement.
Fitzgerald admitted there is an “exclusivity period” whereby no non-event-related activities can take place on the ground 21 days prior to the first tournament match or 14 days prior to the first warm-up game.
“The ICC insisted on this exclusivity period due to the fact that there is still some work required to be carried out on the venues, so clearly it’s what’s best for the tournament. We informed SLC of this in the first week of January,” he told the BBC.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror reported that senior Sri Lanka players, including former captain Mahela Jayawardene, raised concerns over the condition of the pitch at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
But SLC chairman DS de Silva, who only last week told the BBC that venues will be handed over to the ICC on January 20, categorically denied the reports.
“There is no truth in these reports,” he told BBC Sinhala Service.
“There was no accusation whatsoever from the players. In both R Premadasa Stadium and Hambantota International Stadium the pitch is ready, wicket is ready, grandstand is in very good condition and media room is ready.” (BBC Sport)