Champions Trophy 2025: Akash Chopra Slams PCB For Not Getting Stadiums Ready For Marquee Tournament

The Champions Trophy 2025 is just 40 days away and the PCB are not yet up-to-date with the readiness of the stadiums. Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi are the three venues where the matches will be played.

The Champions Trophy will start from February 19 with India playing all their matches in Dubai along with Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi as the other three venues.

Aakash Chopra blasted the PCB for not making use of the revenue allocated to them. He further said that the board neither made any use of the infrastructures given to them. Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, many teams have pulled out from travelling to Pakistan over security concerns as well.

"The Champions Trophy is supposed to happen and you were given ₹600 crore to upgrade your venues and invest in infrastructure development. So you start working and Pakistan did that as well. Then a video came out. It showed that it's not even 'R' of ready. The dressing room, the press box and the corporate box are not ready, and the floodlight job is not completed in some places" Aakash Chopra said.

ICC Contemplating On Moving Champions Trophy Out Of Pakistan: Aakash Chopra

Meanwhile, the ICC is contemplating to move the Champions Trophy out of Pakistan if the venues are not ready in time. Aakash Chopra in his recent YouTube video has reaffirmed the same. In the video, he stated that the renovations of the stadiums are far from complete.

"As neither PCB nor any Pakistani outlet has refuted it and the ICC hasn't commented on it, we will assume it's true, and the truth is that one of the ICC deadlines to hand over the grounds has already crossed. If the ICC realistically feels you won't be able to get them ready, they have the right to take away the tournament from you completely," he elaborated.

However, the former Indian cricketer concluded his argument by staying hopeful of the PCB being able to get the stadiums ready in time.

"Since we are subcontinent residents, we know that we find a way out at the last minute, and I feel Pakistan will also do that. They will somehow prepare the grounds but when the teams reach there, you might have a leaking tap somewhere, a fan might not be working, or painting might not have been done properly somewhere" Chopra concluded.

The tournament will start from February 19 with the final slated to be on March 9. The venue for the final is yet to be decided.