Pakistan's Lahore Stadium will host the tri-series and Champions Trophy matches in February. (File)
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday shifted next month’s ODI tri-series, involving South Africa and New Zealand, from Multan to the Champions Trophy venues in Karachi and Lahore, dismissing talks about a delay in renovation work at the venues.
The PCB said preparations for the Champions Trophy are in full swing with the renovation work at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the National Bank Stadium in Karachi set to be completed before or around the deadlines. Rawalpindi is the third venue in Pakistan that will host group-stage matches of the Champions Trophy with India playing their group games against Bangladesh, hosts Pakistan and New Zealand in a hybrid model in Dubai.
“Given the advanced stage of preparations at the Gaddafi Stadium and the National Bank Stadium, the PCB has decided to relocate the upcoming tri-nation ODI series to these two venues. The series, featuring New Zealand and South Africa alongside Pakistan, was originally scheduled to be held in Multan,” the PCB said in a statement.
“This decision reflects the PCB’s confidence in the readiness of these upgraded venues and their ability to deliver a world-class experience for players, officials, and fans alike,” the PCB added.
Spectator capacity at the Gaddafi Stadium has been upgraded to 35,000, with new chairs installed throughout the venue. Additionally, 480 state-of-the-art LED lights have been installed to enhance broadcast LUX levels, ensuring superior viewing quality for fans worldwide. At Karachi, new hospitality enclosures have been built besides 350 LED lights have been installed, ensuring optimal visibility for global audiences. The PCB said the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has been given touch-ups like the installation of 10,000 new chairs, upgrades to hospitality boxes and the installation of two digital replay screens.
The tri-series involving four matches as a pre-cursor to the Champions Trophy will be played between February 8 and 14. Pakistan will then host New Zealand in the opener of the Champions Trophy in Karachi on February 19.
– With PTI inputs
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