Mon Feb 03 08:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Gaddafi Stadium Ready for ICC Champions Trophy After Major Upgrade

**Lahore, Pakistan** – Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is ready to host matches in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Friday, showcasing the newly-renovated facility. The stadium, undergoing its most significant upgrade since the 1996 World Cup, will boast state-of-the-art features, including a 10-foot-wide, 10-foot-deep moat surrounding the pitch to deter pitch invasions and improve drainage. This innovative security measure replaces the traditional steel cage.

Further improvements include two new VVIP enclosures named after cricketing legends Zaheer Abbas and Majid Khan, modern LED floodlights, high-resolution SMD screens, and upgraded seating. The stadium, which will host at least four Champions Trophy matches, will be inaugurated ahead of a tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand.

Pakistan, the 2017 Champions Trophy winners, will be co-hosting the 2025 tournament with the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan will captain the 15-member Pakistani squad, which includes the return of four players. Notable absentee is rising star Saim Ayub, injured during a recent Test match. The full squad is: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

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