Sabina Park is ready to step into the spotlight—literally—as the historic venue prepares to host its first-ever day-night Test match when Australia tours the Caribbean next month.
The Government of Jamaica has completed the installation of upgraded LED floodlights at Sabina Park, a J$75 million investment aimed at reviving the venue’s relevance in international cricket.
The switch was officially flipped by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, marking a symbolic moment for Jamaican cricket and setting the stage for the highly anticipated pink-ball Test between the West Indies and Australia in July.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, hailed the project as a transformative step in Jamaica’s cricket development strategy.
“These lights are going to make a world of difference,” she said. “They will ignite a series of cricket events that will be held (at Sabina Park) both during the day and at night.”
The upgraded lights address a long-standing deficiency at the venue, which previously lacked the required brightness for day-night international fixtures.
Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) President Dr. Donovan Bennett noted the importance of the upgrade, explaining that without the lights, “we would not be an attractive venue.”
“We have international commitments the second week in July,” he said. “We have seven nights of cricket here… and the Test match (against Australia) is going to be a pink-ball match. So the lights are very essential to be able to pull that off.”
The lighting upgrade is part of a broader government-backed effort to modernize the iconic venue. Minister Grange also revealed that a new digital scoreboard is currently being installed, the result of a diplomatic partnership with India.
“After discussions with the Jamaica Cricket Association, we approached the Government of India,” she said.
“Prime Minister Holness visited India and further discussions were held with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi… It’s materialised. We’re getting a new scoreboard.”
The scoreboard, a gift from the Indian government, complements the lighting project and is expected to be fully operational by the end of June. Most of the scoreboard panels are already in the island, and installation is underway.
Beyond the infrastructure improvements at Sabina Park, the ministry is also investing J$100 million over three years to support grassroots and school cricket.
“Forty out of that 100 million has already been disbursed,” Minister Grange confirmed, “and we’ve started spending from those funds in collaboration with the Jamaica Cricket Association.”
