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With the Champions Trophy 2025 coming upon us, the PCB are at risk of having the tournament moved out of the country with construction work in the three stadiums yet to completed.
Construction work in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore are yet to be completed ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. (Image: Screengrab/X)
Uncertainty looms over the Pakistan Cricket Board being able to hand over the stadiums in Karachi and Lahore to the ICC ahead of the highly anticipated Champions Trophy that makes its return after eight years.
Despite the tournament’s beginning on February 19, the National Stadium in Karachi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore are still undergoing construction work. The ICC and the PCB remain under pressure to pull this tournament off amidst the infrastructural mess it has now become.
According to a report by the Times of India, all three stadiums are undergoing proper construction work rather than renovation or refurbishment, which is another concern regarding the infrastructural work being completed on time.
Condition of Pakistan cricket stadiums:Less than a month left for Champions Trophy and nothing’s even 50% ready.
AFG, AUS, SA & ENG will play their matches here, so good luck to their fans, players and journalists. pic.twitter.com/p6ZynuAajI
— Johns (@JohnyBravo183) January 8, 2025
The report also claims that the PCB’s deadline for handing over the respective stadiums to the ICC is February 12. It suggests that a team from the ICC will fly to Pakistan to ensure that everything is going as planned.
What Happens If ICC Opts to Move CT 2025 Out Of Pakistan?
The report also hinted that the ICC has begun informal talks regarding its contingency plan should PCB not be able to complete the stadium construction work on time. It is suggested that the entire tournament could move to Dubai as well.
“It’s a no-brainer on what would happen if PCB misses deadlines and venues don’t meet ICC checklist. Tournaments can’t be played at semi-ready venues. The next week will give more clarity on the future but PCB and ICC together need to pull off a miracle,” an unnamed source was quoted as saying.
India is already set to play all of its games in the UAE, which is its neutral venue should the tournament be held in Pakistan. This includes the knockout games should India progress to the eliminator stages.
Should the PCB fail to complete the construction work on time, it will be yet another cause for embarrassment. The board was adamant about keeping the tournament in Pakistan and soon after negotiated a hybrid model instead.
