The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is embarking on a comprehensive upgrade of its stadiums to enhance the quality of domestic and international cricket matches. As part of this initiative, the PCB will introduce new floodlights at the National Stadium in Karachi and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the Champions Trophy, scheduled for early next year.
The PCB’s goal is to ensure that smaller venues, such as Quetta, Abbottabad, and Peshawar, are also equipped with light towers. This will allow domestic matches to be played under lights during hot weather, providing a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for players and spectators.
To optimize costs, the PCB plans to transfer the existing floodlights from Karachi to Quetta and those from Lahore to Rawalpindi. Karachi and Lahore will receive new light towers, and the PCB has invited tenders from eligible companies to provide these on a rental basis from August 2024 to July 2025.
“The idea behind this process is to ensure smaller venues are also equipped with light towers for domestic cricket, while major venues like Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, where most international games and CT matches would be played, get towers that ensure international standard and uninterrupted provision of light during matches,” a PCB source told PTI.
In addition to the floodlights, the PCB has also invited tenders for the provision of generators to cities including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Abbottabad, Quetta, and Peshawar. The PCB uses generators to power the light towers at the grounds due to power fluctuations and load-shedding issues.
The PCB is also implementing extensive facelifts of its stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. As a result, the second Test against Bangladesh in Karachi will be played without spectators. The PCB has allocated funds in its fiscal budget to cover all costs associated with the renovation and facelift of the stadiums.
