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PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Friday sought to allay concerns about the country's preparedness for the upcoming Champions Trophy, stating that the three venues in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi are ready to host the ODI showpiece on the scheduled dates. The Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19, and there have been concerns about whether Pakistan will be ready in time for the marquee event, which features the world's top eight teams and will be held for the first time since 2017. While the tournament venues in Karachi and Rawalpindi are still partially under construction or undergoing renovation, the images emerging from those locations have not painted an entirely positive picture.
However, a confident Naqvi assured that Pakistan and its venues are prepared to host the ICC event in a fitting manner.
"They were people from across the border and even others who kept on saying it looks like the Champions Trophy would be moved out of Pakistan as stadiums are not going to be ready on time. But I can announce today we are set to go for the tri-series and Champions Trophy,” he told reporters at the new look Gaddafi stadium.
Naqvi explained that while Gaddafi Stadium will be ready when it is inaugurated on February 7 by the Prime Minister, some work on the National Stadium in Karachi and Rawalpindi Stadium would continue after the tournament. However, he assured that all necessary work to ensure a top-class viewing experience for spectators and viewers would be completed by the time the National Stadium is inaugurated on February 11.
"Facilities for teams, officials, broadcasters, and media have all been upgraded and are complete," Naqvi said.
"We will have the inauguration ceremony for the tournament on 16th in Lahore. The captains conference or the photoshoots will not be possible for the ICC or us because of the hectic travelling schedules of some teams." Naqvi revealed that the budget allocated for the upgrades and renovations at all three stadiums had exceeded the originally planned 12 billion Pakistani rupees, but he was confident the cost would be recovered.
“We have asked the ICC to refrain from providing us with the usual tickets and passes given to the host country. Instead, they are paying us the corresponding amount,” he said.
Naqvi reiterated that all the funds being spent on the stadiums were from the cricket board's own resources and that no funds or grants had been taken from any other sources, including the government.
"There was criticism as the work progressed on these venues but we took it in stride and there was also some good advice and feedback that helped us a lot in achieving our target,” he said.
The PCB chief also mentioned that they had invited top officials from all cricket boards, including India, to attend various events throughout the tournament, including the inauguration ceremony, matches, semi-finals, and final.
“They will let us know about their plans but I think we will be playing host to many board officials and even sports ministers from different countries throughout the event,” he said.
Naqvi also addressed criticism regarding the quality of the chairs installed at Gaddafi Stadium, noting that they were made in China and come with a 20-year warranty.
"And they cost us less than those already installed and we had to ensure we didn't go too much over the budget.”