Follow UsFans will be allowed free entry as Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will inaugurate the newly redeveloped Gaddafi Stadium in a special ceremony, graced by local superstar singers Ali Zafar, Aima Baig and Arif Lohar in Lahore on February 7 (Friday).
The redevelopment work, which included removing high fences, improving seating facilities and hospitality boxes, and installing State-of-the-Art LED lighting, was completed in a record time of 117 days ahead of the all-important ICC Champions Trophy (CT) 2025.
“I am grateful to all those people who put in day and night of work to get the stadium ready on time despite the apprehensions and criticism,” PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement.
Many reports have surfaced in the media, claiming that the PCB will not be able to complete the redevelopment of all three stadiums (in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi) in time.
The first match in the new stadium will be played on February 8 between Pakistan and New Zealand as part of the tri-series, with South Africa being the second team.
A similar inauguration is also in the pipeline for the National Stadium in Karachi, which will host the first game of the Champions Trophy on February 19.