On Thursday, the PCB announced that work on renovation and upgrading of Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore has been completed in a record 117 days and is ready to host international matches, including the ICC Champions Trophy.
PCB stated that the upgraded stadium has been provided with better facilities, new floodlights, hospitality boxes, increased seating capacity, electronic scoreboards, and state-of-the-art LED towers.
PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi stated, “I thank all those people that worked day and night to get the stadium ready on time despite all the apprehensions and criticisms.”
In just a few months' time, Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium has been completely transformed! From demolishing the old structure to building a brand-new venue, it's now ready to shine. Kudos to @MohsinnaqviC42, the PCB team, and the dedicated workers who made it happen!
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) February 6, 2025
VC: PCB pic.twitter.com/kEimK78Sxo
Reports had also suggested that the PCB was behind schedule by at least five weeks in completing the work. PCB will have to hand over the stadiums to the ICC by February 12, as the tournament commences a week after.
The inauguration will be done by the Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif on Friday through a ceremony where the live performances will be given by renowned artists such as Ali Zafar, Aima Baig, and Arif Lohar.
“I am specially indebted to the almost 1000 workers who made this dream come true,” Naqvi affirmed, adding décor for the enhanced viewing experience for spectators with higher seating and the removal of the high fencing around the ground.
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The brand-new stadium will be put to the test on Feburary 8, when the first match of the tri-series, the one involving South Africa, is played between Pakistan and New Zealand.
On February 11, the PCB will hold an inauguration ceremony of a similar kind at the National Stadium in Karachi, with President Asif Zardari expected to grace the occasion.
Naqvi stated that the budget for upgrading the three stadiums in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi exceeds the initial estimates but it will serve Pakistan cricket very well in the future with the state-of-the-art new facilities.
The PCB had roughly estimated the cost of work to be about 12.8 billion rupees, but reports suggest that the budget has increased to around 18 billion rupees.
The PCB mentioned that it was all financing and no other source of funding was available for the work, be it government or otherwise.
