Published 16:25 IST, January 22nd 2025
PCB Successfully Wastes 12 Billion Pakistani Rupees, PAK's Mismanagement Leaves ICC Sweating Over Champions Trophy's Future
Pakistan Cricket Board is the official host of Champions Trophy 2025. The first match of the marquee ICC Tournament, PAK vs NZ will be played on February 19

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and mismanagement, this is a match made in heaven. Everything that the PCB does or says ignites new controversy, but they don't seem to learn. The latest victim of PCB's mismanagement and a string of lies none other than the ICC, who entrusted Pakistan with the hosting rights of Champions Trophy 2025. The Champions Trophy which will be jointly hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) will be played in the 'Hybrid Model'.
Defending Champions Pakistan play their opening game of the tournament against New Zealand on February 19, 2025. The match will be played in the National Stadium, Karachi. But there is a glaring question on how ready Pakistan is to host the Champions Trophy? Ofcourse they have no answers to terror funding, but unfortunately they also do not have answers to their preparation for Champions Trophy.
Pakistan's Cricket Stadiums In Shambles
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly invested around 12 billion Pakistani rupees to upgrade National Stadium Karachi (NSK) and Gaddafi Stadium Lahore and was ready to take possession on February 5, two weeks before the start of the Champions Trophy. The PCB said that these stadiums were undergoing massive upgrades to meet international standards that is required to host an ICC event. The PCB was initially planning to build ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping units, physio rooms, and match officials' rooms in the NSK stadium, but seems that they are far from completion and time is constantly running out.
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The Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore also received major upgrades which includes new building installations but are still far from being complete. Pakistan's cricketing infrastructure is in shambles and it is being reported that the opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy might move out of Pakistan.
PCB's Big Claim Ahead Of Champions Trophy
There have been concerns raised over whether the stadiums would be ready in time for the mega event and if the PCB would have ample time to test out all the new added facilities and construction at these stadiums. Arshad Khan, the General Manager at the National Stadium in Karachi, said work would be completed on the new building and on other facilities by end of January and PCB would be given possession of the renovated stadium on February 5.
He said the progress at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore was similar and the PCB would take control of the upgrade version on February 5. The PCB has spent some 12 billion Pakistani rupees on upgrading these two stadiums and the Rawalpindi stadium.
(With PTI Inputs)
Updated 16:25 IST, January 22nd 2025