Renovation at the three venues in Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy is nearing completion and the stadiums will be ready in time for the tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has assured.
Renovation work is in its final phase at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the National Stadium in Karachi. The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is the third venue that will host group-stage matches of the Champions Trophy, which is making its return to the International Cricket Council (ICC) calendar for the first time since 2017.
“We are on schedule to complete the renovation and upgrade of the Gaddafi Stadium,” PCB spokesperson Sami Ul Hasan was quoted in a report on ‘Dawn’.
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“The venue is expected to be handed over to us by the end of the month,” he added.
The prestigious 50-overs tournament will feature eight teams and marks Pakistan’s first global cricket event in 28 years. However, India will play their matches, including the semifinal and final if they qualify, in Dubai as per an agreement between the ICC, PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket India.
The renovated Gaddafi Stadium now has an expanded capacity to hold 35,000 spectators, along with newly constructed hospitality sections. Lahore and Karachi are set to host a three-nation tournament, featuring New Zealand and South Africa, in the coming month to demonstrate their preparedness for the Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19.
“We have no doubt about Gaddafi Stadium’s operational readiness to host the Champions Trophy match between Australia and England on Feb 22,” said Hasan.
The construction teams have confirmed that the renovation at Karachi’s National Stadium will be finished by January 30, the report added. The spectator stands at the Karachi facility remain unchanged, unlike the Gaddafi Stadium, but construction is ongoing for a new structure at the University Road End.
Additionally, the venue is being equipped with new digital displays.
