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Gaddafi Stadium improvements speed up as Champions Trophy approaches
Gaddafi Stadium improvements speed up as Champions Trophy approaches
Renovations and preparations at the Gaddafi Stadium ahead of the Champions Trophy are at full speed to complete the construction.
Pakistan received the Champions Trophy three years ago and since then in Pakistan’s venue there is an upgrade needed mainly in Lahore and that all started in August. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced a big project to completely tear down and rebuild the stadium, admitting that none of Pakistan's stadiums were suitable for international events. He promised to improve this situation.
The PCB also acknowledged that many people in Pakistan were doubtful about finishing the project on time. They have provided many updates, assuring everyone that the project is on schedule, with 250 workers working "day and night" to meet the deadline.
They have repeatedly denied rumours that construction delays might force the tournament to be moved to the UAE. Two weeks ago, the board felt confident that work at each location was going well enough to say that a tri-series before the Champions Trophy, which was originally planned for Multan, would now be held in Lahore and Karachi instead.
The locality near the Gaddafi stadium was never silent but just two weeks before the tri-series started, It was a bustling hub of chaotic activity. Excavators are filling in the dirt in the space between the front rows of the stands and the boundary fences. Power tools and welding equipment are scattered everywhere, while managers say they aren't worried about the tight deadline they have to meet.
It's clear that there is a lot of work to do, but it's happening very quickly. The balcony in front of the players' pavilion, which will be part of a new hospitality area for players and officials, offers great views of the pitch, but it still has a long way to go before it’s finished. There’s a 4x2m rectangular hole marked off in the middle, and the staircase leading down to the field is just starting to be built.
The stadium's refurbishment is in full swing. A mortar structure for players' ice baths is being built, and many hospitality and corporate enclosures have been newly constructed. The ground floor is busy with main work like hammering, nailing, and welding. Underneath the Imran Khan enclosure, bricks and cement are scattered, and the floor tiles are not yet laid.
Most of the stadium's structure is up, with over half the seats installed and more being added. Two new replay screens are being installed, one complete and the other halfway there. Previously, large steel fences blocked the view, but now spectators will have a better view of the field.
The stadium's action will be closer now, with steel cages replaced by a dry moat to protect the playing field without compromising the view. The capacity is increased to 35,000, focusing on seating closer to the ground. Despite deadline pressures for the Champions Trophy 2025, the PCB and ICC are confident everything is on track. The stadium, last upgraded in 1996, now aims to provide a superior matchday experience even after the event. The notion of offering more than just entry is becoming a priority for future events.
Currently, the car park is a makeshift camp office, and despite a planned chat with the head of infrastructure, it had to be postponed due to their busy schedule.
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