Pakistan Cricket Board chief assures Karachi, Lahore stadiums ready for Champions Trophy

01-Feb-2025

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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday that all three venues in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi are ready to host the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 in February and March.

The Champions Trophy is scheduled to begin on February 19. There have been concerns about Pakistan's readiness for the marquee event, featuring the world's top eight teams for the first time since 2017. However, a confident PCB chief assured that Pakistan and its venues are ready to host the ICC event properly.

"They were people from across the border and even others who kept on saying it looks like the Champions Trophy would be moved out of Pakistan as stadiums are not going to be ready on time. But I can announce today we are set to go for the tri-series and Champions Trophy," he told reporters at Lahore's Gaddafi stadium.

Naqvi said that Gaddafi Stadium will be ready for its inauguration by the Prime Minister on February 7, while some work at Karachi’s National Stadium and Rawalpindi Stadium will continue after the tournament. However, he assured that all essential preparations for a top-class viewing experience would be completed before the National Stadium's inauguration on February 11.

"Facilities for teams, officials, broadcasters, and media have all been upgraded and are complete," Naqvi said.