ICC show – Pakistan caught on the wrong foot

Article posted by Coliseum, January 10^th, 2025

Image: Gaddafi Stadium, Younisjunejo, CC BY-SA 4.0

The preparation of the three host stadiums in Pakistan for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy is in jeopardy as the construction work runs behind schedule just five weeks out from Pakistan’s first marquee ICC event in nearly 30 years.

‘hindustantimes.com’ stated that construction work is ongoing at the 34,238-capacity National Stadium in Karachi, the 27,000-capacity Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the 15,000-capacity Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi with the ICC increasingly worried about the status of the stadiums and preparing to send out a taskforce for a status check and to plan for potential contingencies.

Dubai (UAE)-based the International Cricket Council (ICC) is the global governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South Africa. In 1965, the body was renamed as the International Cricket Conference and adopted its current name in 1987.

The ICC Champions Trophy, previously named the ICC KnockOut Trophy, is a quadrennial cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is played in the One Day International (ODI) format.

The One Day International (ODI) is a format of cricket played between two teams with international status in which each team faces a fixed number of 50 overs with the game lasting up to seven hours.

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy. It will be hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from February 19^th-March 9^th, 2025 and will be contested by the top eight ranked men’s national teams who have qualified from the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Pakistan is the defending champions having won the previous edition in 2017.

A source stated, “It is a very disappointing picture. All the three stadiums are far from ready and it’s not renovation or refurbishment but proper construction which is underway. There is so much work left with seats, floodlights, facilities, and even the outfield and the playing surfaces.”

‘hindustantimes.com’ further stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was working with a deadline of December 31^st, 2024 to prepare the three stadiums with the handover date to the ICC of February 12^th already looming. With plenty of contention from India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) already forcing their games to be moved to the UAE, Pakistan already face pressure to ensure things proceed smoothly.

Lahore (Pakistan)-based the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), formerly known as the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan, is a sports governing body for cricket in Pakistan responsible for controlling and organizing all tours and matches undertaken by the Pakistan national cricket team. A member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1952 it represents the country’s men’s and women’s national teams in international cricket tournaments played under the ICC.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, also known as the BCCI, is the principal national governing body of the sport of cricket in India. Its headquarters are situated at the Cricket Centre in Churchgate, Mumbai. The BCCI is the wealthiest governing body of cricket in the world.

The source dug further into reasons for the delay and pointed out the ongoing issues – “The weather is not ideal for construction and the finishing work to happen at a rapid pace. At the Gaddafi Stadium even the plaster work isn’t completed yet. And most of the time is taken by finishing work because we are talking about dressing rooms, etc. They just can’t be random rooms/enclosures for an ICC event.”

‘It’s a No-brainer…’

Pakistan last hosted a major international tournament in the 1996 World Cup and has already been dogged by problems in their stadiums. The ICC is also wary of the situation hoping not to repeat the logistical disappointments faced in the United States during last year’s T20 World Cup.

“The ICC has a checklist which needs to be met. The National Stadium has decided to not completely finish the new enclosure because there is no time,” the source further explained.

Speaking on the likelihood of the tournament being moved at the eleventh hour if the stadiums aren’t prepared in time, the source stated, “It’s a no-brainer on what would happen if the PCB misses the deadlines and the venues don’t meet the ICC checklist. The tournament can’t be played at the semi-ready venues. The coming few days will give more clarity on the future but the PCB and the ICC together need to pull off a miracle.”

PCB Statement

However, the PCB was quick to extinguish any concerns drafting a Press release that clarified that the stadiums are well on their way to being prepared by the time of the new January 25^th deadline set.

The PCB also announced that the upcoming tri-nation series involving Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa will also now be hosted in Lahore and Karachi to help the stadiums get ready for the Champions Trophy. The tri-series was originally slated to be held solely in Multan (City in the Punjab province of Pakistan).

The PCB confirmed that the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be ready in time for the inauguration at the end of January with the ground receiving a significant capacity boost. Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is facing more minor changes and is expected to be ready soon.

The press release read, “The PCB is fully committed to ensuring that all the venues are ready to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the other international matches. With over 250 workers laboring day and night to meet the January 25^th deadline, the PCB is confident that the upgrades will elevate the fan experience and uphold Pakistan’s reputation as a premier cricketing destination.”

The ICC Champions Trophy is set to begin with a group stage game between hosts Pakistan up against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 19^th.

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