The start of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is just around two weeks to go and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been racing against time to prepare their three venues, Rawalpindi Stadium, Karachi’s National Stadium, and Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, for the multi-nation eight-team tournament.
The renovation work is still underway in Lahore and Karachi but the hosts are optimistic of being ready for the tri-series, involving South Africa and New Zealand, from February 08. All of these four games were scheduled to be played in Multan but the PCB moved them to Lahore and Karachi to test the two facilities before the eight-team tournament.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) made an exception to their ‘exclusivity period’, which is generally three weeks before the start of the tournament when they authorized the PCB to use the venues for the tri-series matches.
ICC makes an exception for Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 preparation
It has also been reported that the support period for the tournament gets underway on February 12 but the global body will only get complete control when the tri-series is done. The Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host all of India’s games, including the potential knockouts. That will be available from February 10.
Also Read: New Payment Issue In BPL 2024-25!! Durbar Rajshahi’s Overseas Players Stuck In Dhaka Hotel
“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 authorized this for the exclusivity period for testing of the venues. Similarly, Dubai stadium is also being used during the exclusivity period for the ILT20.” The well-placed source, as quoted by the Times of India, addressed.
The ICC has a very strict checklist for the venues and before every tournament, they are carried out to ensure that they meet the criteria. A lot of signage and branding work is carried out at the venue and the global body oversees the sponsor activations which need to be in place before the first game of any ICC tournament.
The very first game of the 50-over event is scheduled to take place between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi. A few teams will also want to start their training on the ground, which might not be possible because of the delayed process.
ICC’s teams are constantly keeping an eye on the developments in Pakistan as two senior officials returned from an inspection trip last week. General Manager Wasim Khan and Senior manager (event operations), Sarah Edgar, checked the status of the venues and shared their observations with the relevant members of the global body.
Also Read: Pakistan Cricket Board Threatened Over Player Discrimination Before Champions Trophy 2025
“Following several inspection visits across all venues, the ICC is satisfied that they are on track for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy.” The TOI reports are highlighted.
The event will begin on February 19. The first marquee clash of the competition will be between England and Australia on February 22 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. On the very next day, India and Pakistan will meet each other in Dubai.
The delayed schedule of the event was announced because of the decision of where India will play the games in the competition. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wrote a letter to the ICC and the PCB to inform their wish to deny travel to the neighboring country. The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, wasn’t pleased with the proposal but had to accept it in the end after it was reported that none of the teams would host each other in any future ICC tournaments.