The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday (January 8) decided to shift the ODI tri-series, also involving South Africa and New Zealand, from Multan to Karachi and Lahore, refuting the claims about a delay in renovation work at those venues ahead of the next month's Champions Trophy.
The triangular series is a curtain raiser to the showpiece ICC tournament, slated to get underway on February 19 in Karachi.
The PCB said that preparations for the Champions Trophy are in full swing, expressing confidence about the renovation work to be completed at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the National Bank Stadium in Karachi before or around the deadlines.
“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,” 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,” it added.
On Wednesday, several videos went viral on social media, showcasing the venues for the Champions Trophy in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. A report claimed that even the plaster work is not complete in one of the stadiums.
"It is a very disappointing picture. All 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 playing surfaces," a source was quoted as saying by Times of India.
"The weather is not ideal for construction and finishing work to happen at a rapid pace. At Gadaffi, 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. ICC has a checklist which needs to be met. National Stadium has decided to not completely finish the new enclosure because there is no time."
Usually, the norm is that the host countries of any global event hands over the venues to the ICC much in advance so that they do the quality check and make necessary arrangements.
"It's a no-brainer on what would happen if PCB misses deadlines and venues don't meet ICC checklist. Tournament can't be played at semi-ready venues. The next week will give more clarity on the future but PCB and ICC together need to pull off a miracle," the report stated.
After the renovation, spectator capacity at the Gaddafi Stadium has been increased to 35,000, with new chairs installed throughout the venue. Moreover, 480 LED lights have been installed to improve broadcast LUX levels, ensuring superior viewing quality for fans worldwide.
(With PTI Inputs)
