Delhi: Although Pakistan had got the opportunity to organize the Champions Trophy many years ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided in 2024 itself that the matches will be played in three cities of the country, Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi and in September 2024 itself, the Board spent Rs 1280 crore. Sanctioned a budget of Rs. 10,000 for the necessary changes and improvements to transform the stadium here into a world class stadium.
The current situation is that Champions Trophy matches will be held in Dubai along with Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. How ready are these stadiums for matches? The truth is that no one is including Dubai in the discussion of this question because the stadium here is not under the control of Pakistan Cricket Board and it is a matter of praise that this stadium is always ready for world class events. Therefore the question remains whether Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are ready. The board itself had set the deadline as 31 December 2024 and it has arrived.
Most of the work is to be done in Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Along with civil construction, two LED digital screens, flood lights with 480 LED lights and seats are also to be replaced. The report is that the civil work has not been completed yet, so how can the work of improvement and lights be done? The National Stadium in Karachi and Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi also have the same civil works along with replacement of lights and seats. Here also civil work is going on and the reports of Pakistani newspapers themselves say that the work is far behind the schedule and right now only bricks, cement and debris are visible all around in these studios.
To take stock of the preparations for the Champions Trophy, a 4-member ICC committee last toured these venues in Pakistan on 18 September 2024. They visited the stadiums in the three cities of Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore and in their report refuted the PCB’s claim that the renovation work is going on schedule. What was written in that report was what the newspapers were saying, that is, the work was running behind schedule. Then the board was advised to make arrangements to speed up the work so that the deadline is not exceeded.
Incidentally, after this, far from speeding up the work, a question mark was raised on organizing the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and it can be assumed that instead of speeding up the work on these stadiums, the Board is trying to save the hosting of the trophy and India playing in this trophy. Remained entangled in the question of. So the work continued as it was and now we have reached the deadline with incomplete work.
The PCB itself had admitted that major improvements are needed in all three stadiums to provide world class facilities and infrastructure. The board had plenty of time for all this. ICC itself also had its eyes on him because ICC also has to justify its decision of giving him the honor of this big event. That is why between April and September 2024, 4 ICC committees toured Pakistan to take stock of the work.
Everyone knows that Pakistan last hosted an ICC event in 1996 (ODI World Cup together with India and Sri Lanka) but this time they are the sole hosts of the Champions Trophy (Dubai has been added only to play India’s matches). ). Because of this, everyone’s reputation is at stake. Yes, the work in the target is correct but behind the schedule. However, on December 5, 2024, Radio Pakistan reported that according to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy tournament have been completed and cricket fans will enjoy the event with ‘the best facilities’. No one in Pakistan considered this claim to be true.
What was supposed to happen was that after the stadium was ready by December 31, some practice matches would be played in all three venues, but where are the days for that now? Now the entire focus of the board is on selling tickets. Still, expect that the momentum of the last days will change the face of all three stadiums.