The renovated stadiums in Karachi and Lahore are set to be handed over to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on February 5, two weeks before the Champions Trophy begins on February 19. These upgraded venues will be tested during a tri-series featuring Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand before the main tournament.
Concerns have been raised about whether the renovations will be completed in time and if the PCB will have sufficient time to evaluate the new facilities.
Arshad Khan, General Manager of the National Stadium in Karachi, confirmed that the new building and other facilities would be completed by the end of January, with the PCB taking possession on February 5. He noted that progress at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium was on a similar timeline, with both venues being handed over on the same date.
The PCB has invested approximately 12 billion Pakistani rupees in upgrading these two stadiums along with the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
At Karachi’s National Stadium (NSK), significant upgrades include a redesigned five-story building near completion. This structure features modern facilities such as ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping units, physio rooms, match officials’ rooms on the ground floor, and state-of-the-art dressing rooms on the second floor.
The number of corporate and hospitality boxes has increased by 24, accommodating around 1,000 people in the main building, which also houses the Chairman’s Box and administration block on the fifth floor. For spectators, improved folding chairs, increased seating capacity, new washrooms, and a pedestrian bridge for easier access have been added.
Additionally, two new digital scoreboards and modern LED floodlights on six poles have been installed for better day-and-night game visibility. The outdoor practice nets now include floodlights as well.
Similar upgrades, including a new building and facilities, have been carried out at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, ensuring both venues meet modern cricketing standards.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
