LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed speculation that the ICC Champions Trophy will be moved out of the country due to delays in construction work at three stadiums set to host the event, which begins on 19 February.
The venues in Pakistan hosting the tournament are Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, and Karachi's National Bank Stadium. Meanwhile, India will play all its matches in Dubai.
A PCB source asserted that the presence of a large International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation, which includes broadcast, hospitality, and event operations officials, affirms that the tournament remains on schedule in Pakistan.
"The PCB has spent nearly PKR 12 billion to upgrade our stadiums to make them fitting for an event like the Champions Trophy, which was awarded to us," the source said.
The source also addressed media speculation suggesting the event could be relocated due to incomplete work at the venues.
"We gave the statement because our media also started flashing such speculative news without checking the facts. This would have caused chaos and confusion amongst the PCB, ICC, government, commercial partners and fans, affecting the ticketing and marketing of the event," he explained.
The official further revealed that a local reporter, without permission, had filmed ongoing construction at Karachi's National Bank Stadium and presented a negative portrayal.
"The stadium's work is being monitored closely by the PCB and concerned officials, and they will be ready to host the CT matches on time," he added.