Pakistan are set to host the Champions Trophy 2025. With just a little over one month left for the tournament, Pakistan look unprepared with the stadiums looking far away from completion.
File photo of Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore (AFP Photo)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 12, 2025 12:27 IST
Pakistan are racing against time to complete the renovation of their stadiums before the Champions Trophy. If the video snippets coming out of Pakistan are anything to go by, Pakistan look to be well behind their schedule in terms of the renovation process, just one month away from the start of the tournament.
Pakistan Cricket Board has undertaken a massive task of overhauling its stadiums before the ICC tournament. The defending champions vouched that their renovations will be complete by the time the teams reach the tournament, but that looks far from possible as the recent videos do not paint a promising picture.
Champions Trophy: Full Schedule
Back in 2024, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi had admitted that none of Pakistan's international cricket venues met international standards. He had said that it was PCB's responsibility to amp up the facilities in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy.
"There is a huge difference in international stadiums and those of ours. None of our stadiums are of international standard," Mohsin Naqvi said, justifying PCB's initiative to renovate the stadiums. Naqvi approved the designs for the renovation of the stadiums during his visit to BDP Patterns, a well-known architectural firm based out of London.
Pakistan are hosting the Champions Trophy alongside the UAE. With India ot travelling to Pakistan due to political and safety reasons, several matches are set to be played in the Dubai International Stadium. Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host the matches in Pakistan.
Champions Trophy: Latest Developments
Star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah's participation in the Champions Trophy is under clouds, sources have told India Today. Bumrah, who is one of India's greatest-ever pacers, is currently injured and has been asked to visit the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Sources privy to the matter have stated that Bumrah might be named in the Champions Trophy squad, but his availability will be subject to his recovery. Bumrah was injured on Day 2 of the final Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The pacer had pulled out of action after bowling just one over after Lunch break. Bumrah was taken for scans and did not come out to bowl in the final innings of the match on Day 3.
Published By:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published On:
Jan 12, 2025
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