ISLAMABAD: None of Pakistan’s cricket stadiums in their present condition meet international standards, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi admitted on Monday, as the South Asian country spruces up its grounds ahead of next year’s marquee Champions Trophy tournament.
The PCB has been carrying out renovation work at the Lahore and Karachi stadiums ahead of Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to be held in February next year at three venues in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. The international tournament will be the first ICC one to be held in Pakistan since the ODI World Cup was last hosted by the country in 1996.
Pakistani fans have long complained that the country’s stadiums, especially the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, are not equipped with basic facilities and offer a poor viewing experience for spectators.
Speaking to reporters after reviewing construction work at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Naqvi said there is a huge difference between Pakistan’s cricket stadiums in their present state and other international stadiums across the world.
“With apologies, none of your stadiums could qualify according to international [standards],” Naqvi said. “Neither did they have seats, nor bathrooms and the view was such that it seemed you were watching from 500 meters away,” he added.
The PCB announced last week it would hold the second Test against Bangladesh in Karachi without spectators due to the ongoing construction work. However, it said on Sunday that the Test would be played in Rawalpindi instead of Karachi due to the renovation.
When asked whether there was a lack of coordination in the PCB, Naqvi said:
“There is no lack of coordination between anybody,” Naqvi said. “The PCB had planned to hold matches there without spectators but when security institutions tell us to hold the matches without any crowd and to also stop construction activity, then it is not possible to hold matches.”
Another reporter asked Naqvi whether the construction work at Pakistan’s stadiums would be complete by the time the ICC starts its inspection for the mega tournament next month, the PCB chairman said:
“Yes, for sure. The stadium in New York was completed in the last 10-15 days [before the T20 World Cup 2024]. We will complete it before then.”
The first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh begins on August 21 in Rawalpindi, where the hosts are preparing to go in without a specialist spinner in anticipation of a pitch with pace and carry. The second Test will start at the same venue on August 30.
No Pakistani stadiums at par with international standards, PCB chairman says ahead of Champions Trophy
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No Pakistani stadiums at par with international standards, PCB chairman says ahead of Champions Trophy
- Mohsin Naqvi says Pakistani stadiums in present state lack bathrooms, adequate seats and offered poor viewing experience
- Statement comes as PCB renovates Pakistani stadiums in Karachi and Lahore ahead of February 2025 Champions Trophy event
ADB, Pakistan sign over $300 million agreements to undertake climate resilience initiatives
- Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in weather patterns
- The projects in Sindh and Punjab will restore nature-based coastal defenses and enhance agricultural productivity
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed more than $300 million agreements to undertake two major climate resilience initiatives, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Tuesday.
The projects include the Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector Project (SCRP), valued at Rs50.5 billion ($180.5 million), and the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project (PCRLCAMP), totaling Rs34.7 billion ($124 million).
Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns. In 2022, monsoon floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced another 33 million and caused over $30 billion losses, while another 1,037 people were killed in floods this year.
The South Asian country is ramping up climate resilience efforts, with support from the ADB and World Bank, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable areas.
“Both sides expressed their commitment to effectively utilize the financing for successful and timely completion of the two initiatives,” the PID said in a statement.
The Sindh Coastal Resilience Project (SCRP) will promote integrated water resources and flood risk management, restore nature-based coastal defenses, and strengthen institutional and community capacity for strategic action planning, directly benefiting over 3.8 million people in Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin districts, according to ADB.
The Punjab project will enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience across 30 districts, improving small farmers’ access to climate-smart machinery, introducing circular agriculture practices to reduce residue burning, establishing testing and training facilities, and empowering 15,000 women through skills development and livelihood diversification.
Earlier this month, the ADB also approved $381 million in financing for Pakistan’s Punjab province to modernize agriculture and strengthen education and health services, including concessional loans and grants for farm mechanization, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, and nursing sector reforms.
