LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) this week allayed fears about the preparedness of the venues for this year’s Champions Trophy as they welcomed media for a tour of Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium on Monday.
Arshad Khan, manager of National Bank Stadium, addresses media persons regarding the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)
The eight-team 50-overs tournament will be the first global competition to be held in Pakistan in 28 years.
India, however, will play all their matches in Dubai due to political tensions with their Northern neighbors.
Laborers work during a media tour, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)
Stadiums in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are being upgraded for the tournament whose success could invite more global tournaments to a country, which was deemed unsafe to tour after a 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lankan cricketers.
Journalists attend a media tour organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)
“We are in the finishing phase. Our work is almost complete, the finishing touches remain. We will complete it by the end of this month,” PCB director of infrastructure, Qazi Jawad, told Reuters in Lahore.
The stadium’s capacity has been increased to accommodate 35,000 fans while new hospitality areas have also been constructed.
Laborers work during a media tour, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)
Lahore and Karachi will host a tri-nation series involving New Zealand and South Africa next month to prove their readiness for the Champions Trophy beginning on February 19.
Laborers work during a media tour, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to showcase the progress of the renovation work ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 20, 2025. (REUTERS)
