July 29, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 25, 1429

LAHORE, July 28: While the staging of the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan is already in doldrums due to security concerns shown by Australia, New Zealand and South African players, a sudden decision of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to dig out the Pindi Stadium ground for laying a new surface has raised a few eyebrows in the cricketing circles for the lengthy time-frame of the project.

The Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held in Pakistan from Sept 12. Besides Pindi Stadium, the other two venues of the trophy’s matches are Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore and the National Stadium, Karachi.

Sources told Dawn that last week the PCB authorities, without consulting its chief curator Agha Zahid, ordered the digging up of the Pindi Stadium ground for preparing a new surface as well as installing water sprinkle system.

However, according to a fair estimate, the chances of the entire project getting completed before the high-profile Champions Trophy tournament appear rather bleak.

Sources further said the construction work at the stadium was already moving at a snail’s pace and according to Nespak’s latest report, only 30 per cent of the work had been completed.

An expert, on the condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the work could be completed by December as Nespak, which is playing a supervisory role, is not ready to allow any sub-standard work at the venue despite the urgent requirements of the Champions Trophy.

The renovation work is also going on at the College’s End of the Gaddafi Stadium but there are no signs of it getting completed by September for the mega event.

Sources also expressed apprehension regarding the lack of confidence among the PCB officials who, they said, were still unsure about the global event getting underway in Pakistan.

Moreover, as the PCB has selected Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad as the back-up/alternate venue for the Pindi Stadium, it could well be thinking on the lines of shifting the matches from Pindi owing to security reasons.