Champions Trophy 2025: Concerns Over Venue Readiness in Pakistan
Reports suggest that the 2025 Champions Trophy could be moved out of Pakistan due to delays in renovation work at key stadiums. Matches are slated to be held at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, and Karachi’s National Bank Stadium. Meanwhile, India’s matches are scheduled to take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, as India has opted not to travel to Pakistan.
Renovations at these venues, which began in August last year and were due for completion by December 31, remain unfinished. Sources indicate that if the stadiums are not ready for handover by February 12, the tournament might be relocated entirely to the UAE.
Despite the delays, a report by India Today offers some relief for Pakistan. It states that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is closely monitoring the situation and, so far, its delegation has not raised any concerns about the venues’ readiness.
The Champions Trophy, an eight-team tournament with 15 matches, is set to conclude on March 9.
“All the work related to the stadiums will be done by the first week of February. Pakistan will successfully host the Champions Trophy. There’s no need to believe the rumours. We are committed to delivering our best,” a PCB official told IANS. They also claimed that certain individuals are spreading false information online to tarnish Pakistan’s reputation.
In the meantime, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has moved an ODI tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand from Multan to Karachi and Lahore. This decision was attributed to the advanced stages of preparations at Gaddafi Stadium and National Bank Stadium, which will host six of the 12 group-stage matches of the Champions Trophy.
If successful, this will mark Pakistan’s first time hosting an ICC tournament since co-hosting the ODI World Cup in 1996.
