The Pakistan Cricket Board has selected Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi as venues for the upcoming Champions Trophy. They remain firm in their decision to host the tournament in Pakistan, despite rumors of a potential hybrid model to facilitate India’s involvement.
The upcoming Champions Trophy, last hosted in England in 2017, is tentatively scheduled for February-March of next year.
India’s participation in the upcoming Champions Trophy remains unconfirmed, leading to speculation that the ICC might implement a ‘Hybrid Model’ and conduct India’s matches at a neutral venue if the team doesn’t receive government clearance to travel. The ICC has emphasized that it will not compel any member nation to go against government policies.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced during a press conference in Lahore that the schedule for the matches in Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy has been sent. He mentioned a positive meeting with the ICC’s security team, who assessed the arrangements in Pakistan. Additionally, plans for stadium upgrades will be shared with them. Naqvi expressed the board’s commitment to hosting a successful tournament in Pakistan.
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The PCB has remained firm in its stance, asserting that the tournament will not undergo any changes to accommodate India.
The ‘Hybrid Model’ of hosting was employed during last year’s Asia Cup. The Asian Cricket Council, led by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, organized India’s matches in Sri Lanka despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament. Naqvi also admitted that the condition of all three proposed venues is currently below par for hosting international cricket games.
Naqvi noted that while Gaddafi Stadium is adequate, the viewing experience for cricket isn’t optimal. He expressed the need to enhance stadium facilities, especially for cricket matches, acknowledging existing shortcomings. Karachi’s stadium, in particular, requires significant improvements. Naqvi announced plans to finalize bids from international companies on May 7 to assist in designing upgrades. Despite the time constraints, he expressed confidence in meeting the challenge of completing these upgrades within four to five months.
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