Champions Trophy final will be hosted in Lahore: PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi
Despite India's participation in the 2025 Champions Trophy being uncertain, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi on Monday announced that Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium will host the tournament final.
The PCB is currently planning to host the tournament at three venues in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi, and has even started extensive renovation work. India is yet to commit to travelling to Pakistan for the first time since 2008 while the hosts have left it to the International Cricket Council to convince the BCCI to travel west.
"Hopefully, before the Champions Trophy, all the renovation work will be completed. Matches of the Champions Trophy, including the final are slated to be hosted in Lahore," Naqvi said in a press conference.
On Saturday, BCCI secretary Jay Shah once again expressed the board's non-committal position on the matter.
“No decision has been finalised yet,” Shah told the Times of India. “No stand as of now. We will cross the bridge when it comes,” he added.
The ICC, though, is set to be well-prepared for any contingency. Another recent report suggested that the world body set a portion of the tournament budget aside for matches that might have to be shifted outside Pakistan to accommodate India.
A hybrid model might be similar to the 2023 men's Asia Cup where half of the tournament was hosted in Pakistan and the other half in Sri Lanka. But the final was played in Sri Lanka, where India won.
Huge difference in international and our stadiums: PCB chief
Naqvi also admitted that renovations are necessary because currently there's a huge gulf in the amenities of Pakistan's and other international stadiums.
"There's a huge difference in international stadiums and those of ours... none of our stadiums are of international standard. The Frontier Works Organisation team is working day and night. [We] will make our stadiums one of the best in the world... providing basic facilities in stadiums is [our] first priority," he said.
The Champions trophy is expected to begin in February 2025.