KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has begun the renovation work at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, sources told Geo News on Monday.
The demolition work is currently underway, using heavy machinery at the Naseem-ul-Ghani and the Iqbal Qasim enclosures.
The scoreboard will also be destroyed as the goal is to make way for a new structure featuring media boxes, seating for broadcasters and a new area for commentators.
The new hospitality boxes and media gallery will also be constructed in the new space.
The second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at the National Stadium from August 30 to September 3 and the construction work at the venue will be stopped during the match.
Three venues — Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore — will host the matches of eight teams and according to PCB's proposed schedule to ICC, all of India's matches will take place in Lahore.
The PCB also 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.
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.
The proposed dates for the Champions Trophy are from 19th February to 9th March.
This event will mark the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year hiatus, with its last occurrence in 2017, when Pakistan emerged victorious by defeating India in the final.
Atique ur Rehman Atique ur Rehman is a senior reporter for Geo News.
