LAHORE:- The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Board of Governors has approved $12,800 million to upgrade cricket stadiums in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
The BoG took an important decision to develop domestic and women’s cricket in the country at its 72nd meeting held at the Gaddafi Stadium Board Room of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Saturday.
The board also approved an increase in the annual budget of women’s cricket from Rs 70 crore to Rs 240 crore, apart from increasing the central contract of women’s cricket.
The meeting also allocated $450 million for the development of domestic cricket. It was also decided that the PCB will take care of 12 cricket grounds across the country, apart from maintaining and providing salaries to the staff of 100 cricket grounds in Pakistan.
In the meeting, preparations for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan next year, were discussed. The PCB chairman said that before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, there is a need to complete the modernization work at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, National Bank Cricket Stadium and Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi, adding that international standards will be followed in the modernization.
Mohsin Naqvi said the renovation of the stadium will provide better conditions for cricket fans. He ordered the construction of a new field for domestic competition.
The chief briefed the BoG on various initiatives to strengthen domestic and women’s cricket. Various proposals for the improvement of domestic cricket in the country were considered.
PCB’s Chief Operating Officer (CEO) and BoG Secretary Salman Naser and PCB’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Javed Murtaza briefed the BoG on the key features of the budget.