Will Karachi Stadium be ready before Champions Trophy? PCB chief assures venue will be ready before ICC competition

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The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan. Pakistani fans are set to witness an ICC event in their homeland for the first time since the 1996 ODI World Cup. As the defending champions of the CT with their triumph over arch-rivals India in 2017, Pakistan are set to welcome the competition with a venue revamp.

Despite doubts over India's participation in the Champions Trophy, the ICC will host the matches in Pakistan, with a hybrid model being discussed. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Mohsin Naqvi has given an update about the readiness of the Karachi Stadium ahead of the ICC CT 2025.

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What did Mohsin Naqvi say about the readiness of the Karachi Stadium ahead of ICC CT 2025?

The venue was originally scheduled to host the second Test match of the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh. However, on the advice of the police, the game has been shifted to Rawalpindi.

Naqvi asserts that the matches during the ongoing season could change, but their main aim is to have the grounds in full-fledged condition before the ICC Champions Trophy next year.

Matches [during the season] may move back and forth but the main target is that these stadiums are ready before the Champions Trophy. Our calculation was that we could do matches without crowds, but various security institutions and the police said that even if there are people working inside, you shouldn't host a match,” said Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman of PCB as per ESPNcricinfo.

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When will the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 start?

The PCB have proposed a draft schedule to the ICC for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The tournament will be hosted between February 19 and March 09, 2025.