Naqvi pushes for timely completion of Gaddafi Stadium renovations ahead of Champions Trophy

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently visited Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium to review the ongoing upgradation work in preparation for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

During his visit, Naqvi inspected the construction of a water tank in the stadium's basement and the ongoing steel fixing work. He emphasized the importance of completing the project on time and instructed the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) and NESPAK to expedite their efforts.

"The steel fixing work should be completed quickly. The construction work should be completed within the timeline," Naqvi said.

Following the inspection, a meeting was held at the FWO's camp office, where Naqvi urged NESPAK to finish the drawings promptly and hand them over to FWO. The FWO's Project Director provided an update on the progress of the upgradation project.

Key officials, including the PCB's Director of Infrastructure, Senior General Manager of Infrastructure, and representatives from NESPAK and FWO, were also present during the visit.

Three venues—Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, Karachi's National Bank Cricket Arena, and Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium—are being prepared to host the matches of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The PCB has allocated Rs12.80 billion for the upgradation of these stadiums.

According to the PCB's proposed schedule, all of India's matches are expected to take place in Lahore. While most participating teams have previously played in Pakistan, the PCB is confident that India has no strong reason not to participate in the tournament.

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is set to take place from February 19th to March 9th, marking the return of the tournament after an eight-year gap. The last edition of the Champions Trophy was held in 2017, where Pakistan claimed victory by defeating India in the final.