ICC delegation visits Karachi's National Stadium to review Champions Trophy arrangements

KARACHI: An International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation on Wednesday visited the National Stadium in Karachi to review the ongoing preparations for the upcoming Men’s Champions Trophy, set to be held in Pakistan in February 2025.

The five-member delegation, which included key officials from the ICC, visited the stadium and inspected the ongoing construction work and preparation for the prestigious tournament.

During their visit, they also captured photos and videos for further analysis.

The delegation comprised Security Manager David Masker, Event Manager Sarah Edgar, General Manager Cricket Wasim Khan, Event Manager Aun Zaidi, and Broadcast Consultant Mansoor Manj.

Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla and Senior General Manager of the National Stadium Arshad Khan provided a detailed briefing on the construction efforts aimed at upgrading the venue for the global event.

After Karachi, the ICC delegation will also visit other venues in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore during their four-day stay in Pakistan. They will prepare a comprehensive report of venues and preparation after completing the visit.

These inspections will ensure that all facilities are in top condition for hosting the Champions Trophy. The delegation’s visit follows a previous inspection conducted by a three-member ICC team in April of this year.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had allocated Rs12.80 billion for upgradation of three stadiums. Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, Karachi's National Bank Cricket Arena and Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium will be elevated ahead of the marquee event.

Champions Trophy is set to be held in Pakistan early next year. However, India's participation remains uncertain, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is seeking government approval for the team to visit the country.

Last week, ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice confirmed that there are currently no plans to relocate the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from Pakistan.

Geoff emphasised the ICC’s confidence in Pakistan’s capacity to host the Champions Trophy and reiterated the organisation's commitment to advancing global cricket development and international engagement.

Except India, all eight teams that will participate in the Champions Trophy have already played in Pakistan and the PCB believes that India does not have a strong reason not to come here.