ICC Extends Deadline For Stadium Renovations For Champions Trophy 2025; Teams To Arrive On This Date
by SW Cricket · SportzwikiThe International Cricket Council (ICC) has extended the deadline for the stadium renovation work in Pakistan, as it’s nearly a month to go before the start of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to begin on February 19 and run till March 09. Before that, the Pakistan Cricket Board was needed to end the renovation work.
The three grounds of the event, the Rawalpindi Stadium, the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, and the National Stadium in Karachi, have been under upgradation but none of those works have finished. A few reports claimed that the ICC could carry the entire Champions Trophy to Dubai International Stadium, where India is going to play their group games.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wrote to the ICC, which was later forwarded to the PCB, where they informed that they would not be able to travel to the other side of the border for the tournament due to security concerns. At one point, the PCB chief, Mohsin Naqvi, wasn’t confirmed to accept the hybrid model but was forced to the final point.
ICC is not concerned with the delayed work of stadium renovation by Pakistan
It was decided that none of India and Pakistan will trip each other till 2027, which means that the latter is expected to play all of their group games of the 2026 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. However, the issue was about PCB’s stadium renovations on schedule.
“The PCB “assured the fans, spectators, and media that all upgradation work was progressing on schedule and would be completed before or around the set deadline.” The report, as quoted by Sports Tak, revealed.
The reports responded that the ICC has been keeping an eye on the construction of all the ground. However, it has also been informed that there had been no concerns raised by the delegations of the ICC, there are always contingency plans available for events like these, but they won’t be required.
The venue is the host association’s responsibility, along with the pitches, which are now being worked on by the ICC pitch manager if required, they oversee it. They have set the deadline of January 25, which was December 31 at the initial stage, while the support period will begin on January 12.
The teams are expected to start arriving in the country for the mega competition from February 12, while New Zealand is expected to be the first one to arrive as the Blackcaps will be part of the marquee event opener against the home side. They are also scheduled to take part in the tri-series involving South Africa as a preparation for the event.
Bangladesh, however, will go to Dubai first as they will start the tournament against India on February 20. The blue brigade has returned home after a 3-1 Test series defeat home before they face England in a five-match T20I and three-match ODI series as a preparation for the tournament.
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The Rohit Sharma-led side is also expected to take part in a practice game in between. The ICC has kept the first semifinal of the event at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, while the second semifinal, involving India if they qualify, will be played in Dubai. The final is also stated to take place on the same ground, while the elimination of India will shift the final to Lahore.
India and Pakistan will face each other in the tournament on February 23 in Dubai.