LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) allayed fears about the readiness of the venues for this year’s Champions Trophy as it welcomed media for a tour of stadiums in Lahore and Karachi on Monday.

The eight-team 50-overs event will be the first global tournament to be held in Pakistan in 28 years. India, however, will play all their matches in Dubai due to the hostile relationship between the two countries.

Stadiums in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are being upgraded and if the tournament is successful more could follow in a country deemed unsafe following a 2009 attack on touring Sri Lankan cricketers.

“We are on schedule to complete the renovation and upgrade of the Gaddafi Stadium (in Lahore),” PCB spokesperson Sami Ul Hasan said. “The venue is expected to be handed over to us by the end of the month.

“We have no doubt about Gaddafi Stadium’s operational readiness to host the Champions Trophy match between Australia and England on Feb 22.”

The stadium’s capacity has been increased to accommodate 35,000 fans and new hospitality areas have been built. Lahore and Karachi will host a tri-nation series, also involving New Zealand and South Africa, next month to prove their readiness for the Champions Trophy beginning on Feb 19.

Meanwhile, contractors said renovation work at Karachi’s National Stadium will be completed by January 30. Unlike the Gaddafi Stadium, the Karachi venue’s spectator stands are not being revamped, but a new building is under construction at the University Road End of the stadium.

Apart from that, new digital screens are also being installed at the venue, which will host three matches of the Champions Trophy and at least one game of the tri-nation series.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2025