The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) addressed concerns about the preparation of venues for this year’s Champions Trophy, inviting journalists to tour the stadiums in Lahore and Karachi on Monday.
The eight-team tournament, featuring 50-over matches, marks the first global cricket event in Pakistan in nearly three decades. However, India will play all its matches in Dubai due to strained relations between the two nations.
Upgrades are underway at the stadiums in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, and the PCB hopes that a successful tournament could pave the way for more international events in a country that has faced safety concerns since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team.
According to PCB spokesperson Sami Ul Hasan, they are on track to complete the renovation at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. He also informed that the venue would be ready by the end of this month.
The Gaddafi Stadium’s capacity has been expanded to accommodate 35,000 spectators, and new hospitality facilities have been added. To demonstrate preparedness, Lahore and Karachi will host a tri-nation series with New Zealand and South Africa next month ahead of the Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19.
At Karachi's National Stadium, contractors anticipate completing renovations by January 30. While its spectator stands are not being overhauled like those at Gaddafi Stadium, a new building is being constructed at the University Road End. Additionally, the venue will feature new digital screens and will host three Champions Trophy matches and at least one game of the tri-nation series.
Source: The Dawn
bd-pratidin/Rafid
