On Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the relocation of next month’s ODI tri-series, featuring South Africa and New Zealand, from Multan to the Champions Trophy venues in Karachi and Lahore, refuting claims of delays in the renovation of the facilities.
The PCB said they are working hard on the Champions Trophy preparations. The renovation at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and National Bank Stadium in Karachi will be finished on time.
“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,” the 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,” the PCB added.
Lahore will host one semi-final and the final, as long as India, who will play all their games in Dubai because of an agreement that stops India and Pakistan from visiting each other’s countries for ICC tournament matches, don’t qualify. Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will also have three matches in the eight-team tournament.
The PCB is upgrading the facilities at all three venues as Pakistan gets ready to host an ICC tournament for the first time since 1996 when they co-hosted the ODI World Cup.
The tri-series will be held from Feb. 8-14, and the Champions Trophy will start on Feb. 19, with the defending champions Pakistan playing against New Zealand.
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Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
