Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan stadiums' renovation not complete; ICC to inspect progress next week

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 that is to be played in Pakistan and UAE is just 40 days away but the state of venues is far from ideal in Pakistan.

Construction and upgradation work is still in progress at the National Stadium in Karachi, Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, reported TOI. It is now a race against time to hand over the three venues to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by February 12.

The stadium renovation, which began in August last year, was due to finish by December 31, but it's nowhere close to it, said a TOI report.



The ICC is worried as a lot of infrastructural mess was on display during the USA leg of the T20 World Cup last year. The build-up to the Champions Trophy has not been ideal either. The TOI report said that a team of the global cricket body will leave for Pakistan towards the end of the week to do a status check and informal contingency discussions are underway in Dubai corridors.

"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," said a source to TOI.

Lahore and Karachi are the two stadiums where construction work is underway and their multi-storied enclosures, which will have dressing rooms and hospitality boxes, are yet to enter the finishing stages.

Additionally, there is fencing work and placement of floodlights and seats which has not yet been completed. The biggest roadblock is the weather, which will make it difficult for construction and finishing work to gather momentum.

"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," added the source.

The Gadaffi stadium is set to host some of the high-octane clashes in the tournament, including one semi-final and possibly final (if India doesen't qualify), but the venue is still far from ideal.

There is not much time left for the venues to be handed over and it's not a surprise that there are discussions about moving the entire tournament to the UAE.

"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," stated the source.