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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi revealed the inauguration date of the Gaddafi Stadium, which will mark the commencement of the much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He also announced that the board has invited the heads of all cricketing boards, ICC officials and chairman Jay Shah for a ceremony on February 16 ahead of the tournament.
While addressing the media within the Gaddafi ground itself, Naqvi praised everyone involved in the degradation of the stadium. Naqvi said the stadium will be inaugurated on February 7 and will be inaugurated by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. "The Gaddafi Stadium will be inaugurated on February 7 by the Prime Minister (Shehbaz Sharif). It's in its final stages, and the last touches are being applied to it. It will definitely be completed by February 7," he said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. "We had begun demolishing this stadium in September, with the construction beginning in October. We promised it would be ready by the end of January, and you can all see how close it is to completion," he added. Naqvi went on to confirm that the ongoing renovation work in Karachi Stadium is well on track. The stadium is scheduled to be inaugurated in a ceremony on February 11, by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari. Notably, the inauguration date is on the eve of the tri-series between Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand, that will be hosted in the stadium. The PCB chief went on to confirm that Pakistan will host a ceremony on February 16, and he has invited ICC Chairman Jay Shah to the event before the Champions Trophy. "We are also holding a ceremony on the 16th of February in Lahore. We've invited the heads of all cricket boards of teams who are coming, as well as all ICC officials, including the ICC chairman, Jay Shah. We are eager to welcome the board officials and anyone else who is attending," he added. The PCB has faced a lot of criticism for months regarding the timely competition for the renovation of the stadium. With the shifts in venue and the extension of the deadline, there are concerns about whether Pakistan could complete the work in time. "We will welcome all the arriving teams and their security and welcome arrangements. The whole of the PCB is working day and night to provide a seamless tournament," Naqvi said. (ANI)
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