Bidding for Champions Trophy venues upgradation on May 7

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday said that they have started working on the upgradation of venues for the ICC Champions Trophy which Pakistan will host in 2025.

“We have started working with high pace on the upgradation of the venues,” Naqvi told a news conference here. “The PCB’s three-member committee, comprising Director Infrastructure, Director International Cricket and Director Domestics, is working on it. On May 7 there will be an international bid. We have approached an international company which constructs cricket venues around the globe. Look, Gaddafi Stadium is a good venue but here our view is not of cricket, it can be a football view. The cricket view should be like that you feel you are inside the stadium,” Naqvi said. “We have to enhance facilities inside the venues,” he was quick to add.

“The condition of National Stadium Karachi is also very bad. So on May 7 our bid will be finalised and the world’s best company will come, which will help in designing and then we will join hands with local consultant and will try to finish the project in four to five months. It will be a real test as time is very short,” Naqvi said. National Stadium Karachi, Rawalpindi and Gaddafi Stadium are on the radar of the Board to upgrade them ahead of the Champions Trophy.