New Delhi: The Gaddafi stadium in Lahore is ready to host international cricket after undergoing massive renovation for the Champions Trophy, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Thursday.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will inaugurate the stadium on Friday through a ceremony in which popular artists will perform Ali Zafar, Aima Baig, and Arif Lohar.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed relief that stadium got ready amid reports of renovation work running behind schedule by five weeks.
Pakistan will host CT matches in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi, where the tournament opener will be held on February 19.
“I am grateful to all those people who put in day and night of work to get the stadium ready on time despite the apprehensions and criticism,” PCB Chief Naqvi said, as quoted by PTI.
Enhanced viewing experience
THe PCB is supposed to handover the three venues to the International Cricket Council for the Champions Trophy by February 12.
Naqvi said that the renovated Gaddafi stadium has increased seating capacity, new floodlights, hospitality boxes, electronic scoreboards, LED towers and overall better facilities that will give an enhanced viewing experience after removal of high fencing around the ground.
“I am specially obligated to the nearly 1000 workers who made this dream possible,” he said.
The first match at the renovated Gaddafi will be held on February 8 when Pakistan play against New Zealand in a tri-series opener also involving South Africa.
Karachi’s National Stadium is expected to be ready by February 11, when the renovated venue will be inaugurated through a ceremony where the presence of President Asif Zardari is expected.
Naqvi admitted budget for upgradation of the three stadiums for Champions Trophy has risen from initial evaluations of 12.8 billion rupees to 18 billion rupees.
But he said these stadium renovations were entirely funded by the PCB and are now well equipped to serve Pakistan cricket for long into the future.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed relief that Gaddafi stadium in Lahore got ready amid reports of renovation work running behind schedule by five weeks. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
