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- Sharif praises the national team for playing good cricket in recent month and winning people’s hearts
- He says the nation is praying for players and await the time of their ‘decisive victory’ over India in Dubai
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday ahead of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025, expressing hope for the national team’s victory in the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has renovated major cricket venues in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi for the first ICC event hosted in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup.
The PCB said a day earlier that Gaddafi Stadium had been transformed into a world-class facility, now featuring over 34,000 seats, new digital scoreboards and state-of-the-art floodlights to ensure clear visibility for players and spectators during night matches.
National cricket team reveals Pakistan’s Champions Trophy jersey during the inauguration ceremony of renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7, 2025, ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. (Photo courtesy: PCB/Handout)
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Sharif praised the national team for playing good cricket in recent months, saying Pakistani players had won “the hearts of the entire nation.”
“Championship Trophy is looking forward to your victory,” Sharif said, addressing the players present at the gathering. “We are all praying for you and will wait for the time when you will score a decisive victory against India.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets the Pakistan Cricket Team players at the inauguration of the renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7, 2025. (Handout/PMO)
The prime minister specifically acknowledged star players, skipper Muhammad Rizwan, batting ace Babar Azam and leading pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, saying the nation had tremendous expectations from them.
Fireworks underway as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurates renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7, 2025, ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. (Photo courtesy: PCB/Handout)
Sharif also congratulated PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi for overseeing the stadium’s transformation within just 117 days, adding the Punjab provincial administration would ensure foolproof security for the matches played at the venue.
He highlighted that Pakistan was hosting a major ICC event after 29 years and expressed his desire to watch the India-Pakistan match in Dubai, referencing the hybrid model of the tournament after India’s cricket board refused to play in Pakistan, citing “security concerns.”
Pakistani crowd attends the inauguration ceremony of renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7, 2025, ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. (Photo courtesy: PCB/Handout)
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be held from February 19 to March 9.
The stadium’s inauguration ceremony, attended by high-profile politicians and government officials, was followed by a fireworks display, light show and live music performances.
Pakistani artists perform during the inauguration ceremony of renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 7, 2025, ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. (Photo courtesy: PCB/Handout)