Pakistan recall Fakhar to Champions Trophy squad after injury rules Saim Ayub out

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will inaugurate Gaddafi Stadium in the eastern city of Lahore on Feb. 7, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday, as the South Asian country gears up for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
The PCB has been renovating stadiums in Lahore and Karachi for the 2025 Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in Feb. across three venues: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. This will be the first ICC tournament held in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup.
Gaddafi Stadium is set to transform into a world-class facility, featuring over 34,000 seats, brand-new scoreboards on both sides and state-of-the-art floodlights, ensuring exceptional visibility for both players and spectators after sunset, according to the PCB.
On Friday, Naqvi visited the stadium and inspected the final renovation work on the ground.
“We are going to inaugurate the stadium in Lahore on Feb. 7, the prime minister will come here and inaugurate the stadium,” he told reporters at the venue.
Pakistani fans have long expressed dissatisfaction with the country’s stadiums, particularly the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, citing a lack of basic facilities and a subpar viewing experience for spectators.
The PCB has also been renovating the Karachi stadium.
“The president of Pakistan will inaugurate the stadium in Karachi on the 11th [of Feb.],” Naqvi said.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will take place from February 19 till March 9, with matches hosted across Pakistan and Dubai in a hybrid model.
The tournament’s structure follows a compromised decision after India refused to play in Pakistan, citing “security concerns.” Exercising its rights as the host nation, Pakistan designated Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s matches, ensuring all teams’ participation.
The PCB has scheduled the Champions Trophy opening ceremony in Lahore on Feb. 16, according to Naqvi.
“We are fully prepared, we will welcome all the teams that are coming,” he told reporters in Lahore. “The entire PCB and the rest of the team are working day and night on their security and other arrangements.”
In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage games each. Lahore is also set to host the second semifinal. Dubai will host all three of India’s group matches and the first semifinal, should India qualify.
The tournament opener on Feb. 19 will feature Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi, while India will face Bangladesh in Dubai on Feb. 20.
This will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, after an eight-year hiatus. The last tournament took place in England in 2017. The event will feature top eight teams in world cricket competing for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal promised to deliver “the best World Cup experience” in 2034.

In an interview with Piers Morgan on Thursday, the minister discussed Saudi Arabia’s goal to transform its domestic football league into one of the world’s top five competitions. 

In July, 2024, a Saudi delegation led by the minister officially submitted the Kingdom’s bid book to FIFA to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 at a ceremony hosted in Paris, France.

Al-Faisal said the Kingdom has been preparing for the Fifa bid for years now. 

“We’ve been working tirelessly for six years, with monthly meetings with His Royal Highness [Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] about details and what could work. Everything that we’re doing is part of the 2030 vision, whether we host the World Cup or not” he said. 

The Kingdom plans to host matches across 15 stadiums, with eight venues in Riyadh alone. The minister said Saudi Arabia is prepared to handle the challenge of hosting a 48 team tournament and its size and infrastructure will allow for this. 

“The longest that you’ll travel by plane will be two hours,” he said, adding that 60 percent of the global population is within eight hours’ flying time of Saudi Arabia.

Qatar’s 2022 World Cup was the first in the Middle East, Al-Faisal praised their efforts and commended its organization.

“They did an amazing job... but you can’t compare. Qatar was all hosted in a small territory, but when you look at Saudi, there’s travel time, there’s a lot of logistics,” he said.

The 2034 World Cup marks yet another milestone in Saudi Arabia’s growing influence on global sports, following significant investments in football, golf, and Formula One racing.