 "'None of them qualify as international': PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi on stadiums in Pakistan ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy")
Pakistan are set to host the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy early next year, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi feels that the country’s stadiums need immediate upgrades. Naqvi recently visited the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to inspect the facilities but noted that several facilities inside the stadium are below-par.
He said that there was a huge difference between the cricket stadiums in Pakistan and the rest of the world, adding that none of the stadiums in his country meet international standards.
“There was a world of difference between our stadiums and those in the rest of the world. In no way were they international stadiums —Koi bhi stadiums internationally qualify kar hi nahi sakta hain. Na seats the, na bathrooms, aur view aisa tha ki app 500 metre door se dekh rahe hain (None of them could qualify as international by any standard. There weren’t enough seats or bathrooms and the view made it seem like you were watching from 500 metres away),” Mohsin told reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium.
The PCB have launched a renovation project ahead of the Champions Troph y, with the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi and the National Stadium in Karachi being the major focus. The upgrades are estimated to cost Rs 12.8 billion in order to bring the stadiums on par with international standards. The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place between February and March next year.
He was confident that the stadiums would be developed into the “best in the world”. “The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) team is working day and night. We will make our stadiums one of the best in the world. Providing basic facilities in stadiums is our first priority,” added Naqvi.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsApart from upgrading stadiums, PCB are also looking to develop a building into a hotel where the teams can stay. While there are challenges that come with it, Naqvi seemed confident that the construction would be completed ahead of the eight-team tournament.
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