Champions Trophy 2025: National stadium enclosures to honor Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan
Two VVIP enclosures in a newly constructed building at ground level will have a seating capacity of 1,050
KARACHI: Renovation work at Karachi’s National Stadium has entered its final phase as preparations accelerate for the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled for February.
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Thursday that two enclosures at the stadium will be renamed in honor of cricket legends from the city, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan.
The upgrade includes the construction of a new Far End building, where the players' area has been completed. Finishing touches, such as cleaning and partitioning, are underway on the upper floors.
On Thursday, the PCB arranged a visit for the media to the stadium to witness the progress.
Arshad Khan, General Manager of National Stadium, confirmed that two VIP enclosures, with a collective seating capacity of 1,050, are being prepared at the ground level of the new Far End building, and they will be named after former players Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas.
Additionally, the existing Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas enclosures will be renamed after Younis Khan and Nazar Mohammad, respectively.
“The new stadium layout also aligns the Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad enclosures with the Far End building, as it is traditional for the VIP enclosures to be next to the players’ area, while the enclosures adjacent to the older building will be renamed the Iqbal Qasim and Naseem-ul-Ghani enclosures,” said Arshad Khan.
Upgrades to the stadium’s lighting system are also nearing completion.
Frames have been installed on three of the light towers, with work on the remaining towers expected to finish in the next two days. Lights will then be mounted.
Project Director Bilal Chauhan told the media that construction on the main building is nearly finished.
“The stands on the ground floor and the top-floor partitions will be completed soon. By January 28, the stands will be ready for the installation of seats,” Chauhan stated.
He added that the players’ dressing rooms on the first floor are complete, with cleaning currently underway.
He expressed confidence that all renovation work will be finalized by January 31, ensuring the stadium is ready to host the Champions Trophy and a tri-nation series.
The eight-team tournament, comprising 15 matches, will take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025, across three venues in Pakistan—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi—as well as in Dubai.
The teams are divided into two groups: Group A features Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, while Group B includes Afghanistan, South Africa, England, and Australia.
Hosts Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the opening match on February 19 in Karachi, while the highly anticipated clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India is scheduled for February 23 in Dubai.
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