No international standard stadiums: Mohsin Naqvi exposes Pakistan's reality but assures Champions Trophy success

Mohsin Naqvi, PCB Chief is unhappy with the condition of a few stadiums ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Preparations are in full swing within the PCB to set everything right for the tournament but they lack a direction and a vision.

Pakistan are still the hosts of the tournament with PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi worried about whether the board will be able to set everything perfectly on time.

In his recent remarks, Naqvi acknowledged the significant gap between Pakistani venues and international standards, highlighting the inadequacies that need to be addressed to successfully host the forthcoming global event. He further pointed out that none of Pakistan's current stadiums meet international requirements, noting that the existing facilities fall short in several key areas.

“There was a world of difference between our stadiums and those in the rest of the world. In no way were they international stadiums; koi bhi stadiums internationally qualify kaar hi nhi shkta tha — na seats the, na bathrooms aur view asa tha ki aap 500 metre door se dekh rahe hai (none of them could qualify as international by any standard — there weren’t enough seats or bathrooms, and the view made it seem like you were watching from 500 meters away),” Naqvi stated.

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PCB is keen on renovating the three major stadiums in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi with state-of-the-art facilities and is hopeful that the changes will be completed in time for the tournament.

The estimated cost is Rs 12.8 billion and is aimed at bringing these facilities up to par with international standards in time for the Champions Trophy, scheduled for February-March 2025. He further hailed the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) which is working 24*7 to complete the renovation on time.

"The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) team is working day and night. [We] will make our stadiums one of the best in the world... providing basic facilities in stadiums is [our] first priority," he said.

Champions Trophy 2025 Final Will Be Held In Lahore: Mohsin Naqvi

Mohsin Naqvi further confirmed that they are keen on hosting the final in Lahore besides hosting the ICC Champions Trophy completely in Pakistan.

"The Champions Trophy will, by God's Grace, be held in Pakistan and the final will be held in Lahore," Mohsin Naqvi added.

This is the first major ICC event to be played in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. Pakistan are also the defending champions of the tournament as they won the title in 2017 beating India in the final. Besides Pakistan, India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will feature in the tournament.

The Indian team is unlikely to participate in the tournament unless their government approves it. In case they pull out of the tournament, Sri Lanka are likely to replace them in the event. Having recently won the T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma and India would like to win the tournament if they eventually play.

In between, all this PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi said that the dates for the Champions Trophy 2025 might shift for certain games despite remaining adamant that Pakistan will host the entire tournament.

“God willing, the Champions Trophy will indeed take place in Pakistan. Match dates may shift, but the PCB is actively coordinating with security agencies,” said Mohsin Naqvi while talking to the reporters in Lahore on Monday (August 19).

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