Video shows incomplete cricket stadium in Pakistan ahead of ICC Champions Trophy?

In the run-up to Pakistan hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, starting February 19, several Indian social media accounts have been circulating video clips claiming that cricket stadiums in Pakistan remain incomplete and under construction, suggesting they are unprepared to host the men’s cricket tournament.

The claim is false.

Claim

On February 3, a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) posted a 12-second video showing men cutting grass manually in a stadium. The user captioned the video: "15 days to go for Champions Trophy 2025 and Pakistan could not even get their stadium complete. Have no more equipment to even cut grass. Cutting grass manually. Who allowed these Aata deficient Bheekaris to host an international tournament?"

At the time of writing, the post had been viewed over 269,000 times, reposted approximately 800 times, and liked over 5,600 times.

Similar claims were also shared here, here and here.

Fact

The claim is incorrect. The stadium featured in the video is Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. However, it is important to note that this stadium will not be hosting any of the matches in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Using Google reverse image search, Geo Fact Check identified that the video first appeared online in April 2024. The video was shared by an account claiming it shows the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar.

Further verification from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Communication and Works Department website also confirms that the stadium shown in the video is indeed Arbab Niaz Stadium.

Additionally, the official schedule for the Champions Trophy, set to take place from February 19 to March 9, released by both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), confirms that Arbab Niaz Stadium is not among the selected venues for the tournament in Pakistan.

The schedules can be viewed here and here.

Verdict: The video clip, which dates back to April 2024, was recorded during work at Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. It is crucial to emphasise that this stadium is not scheduled to host any matches for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

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