New Delhi: The National stadium in Karachi is Champions Trophy 2025 ready as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday held a glittering ceremony inside the premises to celebrate the completion of the renovation. While the PCB was being criticised for delay in the completion of renovation with multiple people from sports fraternity blasting the slow work in progress at the stadiums but the board hit back at all the critics with the timely completion of the iconic stadium.
The stadium is set to host the inaugural CHT 2025 match between New Zealand and Pakistan on February 19, Wednesday. Chairman of PCB Mohsin Naqvi lauded the workers, technicians and engineers involved in the construction of the stadium saying that without the tireless efforts of more than 700 people, this wouldn’t have been possible.
A festive atmosphere at the new-look National Bank Stadium, Karachi 🙌✨
📺 Watch the inauguration ceremony ➡️ https://t.co/szo7tjSOAC pic.twitter.com/oYOrrkUBeo
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 11, 2025
Stadium to host match on Wednesday
The renovated stadium will also host the South Africa versus Pakistan tri-series match on Wednesday and the final of February 14. The stadium was under renovation for the last four months and has a new state-of-the-art building at the end of the iconic venue. Besides, some new LED lights, two screens and better facilities for the crowd have also been put in place.
The new building houses dressing rooms, dedicated areas for broadcasters and match officials and hospitality boxes. The stadium, however, retains its ancient look and the placement of the bigger screen on the ground will block the view of the people sitting in the enclosure. The Pakistan Cricket Board had initially budgeted four billion, in Pakistan rupees, on the renovation of the stadium but as per reports, they have overrun the cost with some work still remaining to be done after the Champions Trophy.
(With PTI inputs)
The renovated National Stadium in Karachi is scheduled to host the South Africa versus Pakistan tri-series match on February 12 and the finale as well. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
