 "Jay Shah (left) poses after becoming the ICC Chairman. Image: ICC/Reuters")
With the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy fast approaching, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finds itself in a difficult position where it needs to ensure that the venues are ready for the prestigious tournament. Less than two weeks away from the event’s start, the renovation work is still ongoing in Lahore and Karachi. However, the PCB remains optimistic about meeting the deadlines .
Pakistan are scheduled to play a tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand, starting on 8 February 2025. The tri-series, originally scheduled to be played in Multan, has now been shifted to Lahore and Karachi. This change was made so that the PCB could test both venues ahead of the Champions Trophy, ensuring that they are in top shape for the eight-team tournament.
ICC makes a special exception for PCB
According to a Times of India report, to accommodate this testing period, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has made a rare exception to its standard “exclusivity period” rules. The ICC typically enforces a three-week window before the start of a tournament during which the venues are under the exclusive control of the apex body. However, the global cricket governing body granted the PCB permission to use these venues for the tri-series matches, allowing the host nation to test the stadiums before the Champions Trophy.
While the official support period for the tournament is set to begin on 12 February, the ICC will take full control of the venues only after the tri-series concludes. Meanwhile, the Dubai International Stadium, which will host all of India’s matches, including any potential knockout games, will be available starting 10 February, after it has completed its use for the ILT20 tournament.
An ICC official was quoted as saying, “Hosts may seek approval from ICC for activities to take place in venues within the exclusivity window, PCB has followed the process and the ICC has authorised this for the exclusivity period for testing of the venues. Similarly, Dubai stadium is also being used during the exclusivity period for the ILT20.”
As the clock ticks down to the start of the Champions Trophy, the PCB is working hard to ensure that the venues in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi are ready to host the world’s top cricketing nations. With the ICC’s extended deadline, the PCB hopes to finalize all necessary arrangements in time to deliver a successful tournament.