Pakistan gears up for Champions Trophy, allocates 17 billion rupees for sprucing up stadiums

NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has set aside a substantial sum of around 17 billion rupees to renovate and improve its cricket grounds located in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. These upgrades are being made in preparation for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which is a significant event in the cricketing calendar.
The decision to allocate these funds was made during a meeting of PCB's Board of Governors held in Lahore on Saturday.In addition to the stadium upgrades, the board also approved a budget of 240 million rupees for the development and promotion of women's cricket in the country.
This marks a significant increase from the previous budget allocation of 70 million rupees, indicating the PCB's commitment to supporting and growing the women's game.
During the meeting, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi informed the BOG members that the Champions Trophy would be hosted entirely within Pakistan. He also mentioned that further discussions regarding the tournament would take place at the ICC's annual board meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Colombo later this month.
The PCB convened a meeting to discuss and approve the budget for the 2024-25 season. The agenda included Pakistan's upcoming home series against Bangladesh, England, and West Indies, as well as a tri-series before the Champions Trophy. Additionally, the team is set to tour Australia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe during the season.
Naqvi informed the Board of Governors (BOG) that the upgradation work on the stadiums had commenced. The Board wanted to improve the facilities for the spectators and turn the venues into A class stadiums.
The BOG approved a substantial amount of nearly 13 billion rupees from development funds to carry out the necessary work on three stadiums. Furthermore, an additional 4.5 billion rupees were allocated for organizing the domestic cricket season.
During the meeting, the BOG was also notified about the board's decision to increase the central contract fees and salaries for women cricketers and domestic players, demonstrating their commitment to supporting and promoting cricket at all levels.
"The budget has been increased because the PCB wants to improve competition level and the structures in both domestic and women's cricket," Naqvi told the BOG.