Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given strict instructions to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi following the poor performance of the national cricket team in the recent ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in June. Shehbaz Sharif directed Mohsin Naqvi to select the players and officials based on their merits.

Babar Azam-led Pakistan failed to progress to the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Men in Green suffered defeats to the United States of America (USA) and India in their first two matches. They won their remaining two matches but it was not enough to make it to the next stages of the tournament.

Pakistan is gearing up for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which will begin on August 21. Notably, it will be their first series since the 2024 T20 World Cup. The selection committee has not announced the squad for the series. Shaheen Shah Afridi is expected to miss the matches.

You should reform the cricket team – Shehbaz Sharif

Speaking at a ceremony at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Shehbaz Sharif instructed Mohsin Naqvi to revamp the cricket team with merit-based selections. Sharif said the selections should not be influenced by political or external pressures.

“They should reform the cricket team and pick people based on their merits, which is their specialty,” Shehbaz Sharif told Naqvi, as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.

“Even if the prime minister recommends someone who goes against his merits, he should be politely rejected,” he added.

The report added that the Prime Minister stressed the need to improve the domestic cricket system. He is also pleased with the ongoing modernisation of the Gaddafi Stadium, adding that the improvements will meet modern standards.

The Gaddafi Stadium completed its demolition work in June. The renovation will see the main building moved closer to the box area, with hospitality boxes at the front and PCB offices at the back. The stadium will also see its enclosures expanded on both sides. The PCB made these changes for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Pakistan to host Champions Trophy in 2025

The 2025 Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan in February-March next year. The ICC 50-overs tournament will be played across three venues.

A total of eight teams – Pakistan, India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, England and Bangladesh – will compete in the upcoming tournament.

Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore will host the matches. As per the schedule proposed by the PCB to the ICC, India will play all its matches in Lahore.

The PCB has allocated PKR 12.80 billion for upgrading the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi and the Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium.

The PCB wants to host the entire tournament in Pakistan despite the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) being reluctant to travel to the neighbouring country.

The event is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025. It will be the first Champions Trophy since 2017, when Pakistan won the final against India.