Ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has justified his initiative to renovate Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi venues, saying that none of the stadiums in the country meet international standards.
“There’s a huge difference in international stadiums and those of ours […] none of our stadiums is of international standard,” Naqvi said while speaking to the media persons on his visit to review Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium’s upgradation work on Monday.
The chairman approved the stadiums’ designs last week during his visit to BDP Pattern’s, a renowned architectural company based in the United Kingdom, London head office.
Also read: Mohsin Naqvi hints at ‘major surgery’ in team after loss to India in T20 World Cup 2024
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has also approved a budget of around $70 million for the tournament expected to be held in the February-March window next year.
The amount will cover the expenses incurred during the support period which has been scheduled from February 12 to 18.
A day earlier, the board had announced its decision to shift the second Test of the two-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh from Karachi to Rawalpindi due to ongoing renovations and construction work at the National Stadium
Talking about the upgradation project, PCB chairman Naqvi maintained that the construction work is being carried out rapidly and expressed hope that the challenging task will be completed before Champions Trophy 2025.
“The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) team is working day and night. [We] will make our stadiums one of the best in the world […] providing basic facilities in stadiums is [our] first priority,” the PCB chief added.
Commenting on the Pakistan-Bangladesh Test being shifted to Rawalpindi, he said that security agencies had advised them to hold matches without spectators and the decision was made after due consultations and further remarked that more changes can be made in the future as well.
Denying any lack of coordination, Naqvi also underscored that the board has acquired a building near Gaddafi Stadium which will be converted into a hotel for teams.
However, he added, the project is a complicated one and it would become clear in the next 10 days whether it will be completed before next year’s mega event or not.
