Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday, August 20 rubbished media reports that claimed the rescheduling of the Champions Trophy and attributed comments to Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the governing body. The national cricket body said it is keen on hosting a ‘world-class’ Champions Trophy next year and stressed that it has already sent a draft schedule to the International Cricket Council (ICC), proposing that the tournament be played between February 19 and March 9.
PCB’s clarification comes a day after Mohsin Naqvi’s comments from the Gaddafi Stadium were misrepresented. Naqvi, speaking to the media during his visit to take stock of the renovation activities at the iconic stadium in Lahore, had said that the Pakistan cricket body is hoping to have the renovation work at their three main centers completed before the Champions Trophy. The PCB initiated renovation and additional construction at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the National Stadium in Karachi and the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi to improved the facilities for fans ahead of the 50-over tournament next year.
“It is disappointing that certain media outlets have misrepresented PCB Chair Mohsin Naqvi’s comments from yesterday’s media interaction, misleadingly quoting him on the possibility of change of dates for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to security concerns, thus creating unnecessary sensationalism,” the PCB said.
“During the media talk, which is available on the PCB’s official YouTube channel, the PCB Chair clearly stated that the redevelopment and redesign of the three designated stadia would be completed on schedule, ensuring readiness to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The PCB Chair also mentioned that while some domestic matches may need to be shifted to facilitate uninterrupted construction work, this in no way pertains to the ICC Champions Trophy, which remains a priority for the PCB as a premier eight-team international event,” it added.
“In line with this commitment, the PCB has already submitted a draft schedule to the International Cricket Council (ICC), with the proposed dates spanning from 19 February to 9 March 2025,” it added.
The PCB chairman conceded on Monday that none of the stadiums in Pakistan meet international standards and ti was the responsibility of the board to improve the facilities before the Champions Trophy next year. Naqvi also spoke about the plans to build a hotel at the Gaddafi Stadium to facilitate easy access to teams, but said he was not sure if the project
