The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday imposed a ban on media access and movement at its stadiums in Karachi and Lahore. The stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi will host matches for the Champions Trophy. However, the PCB is still carrying out repair work at these stadiums, and the work has not been completed yet. This led to rumors that the Champions Trophy matches could be moved to the UAE. However, the PCB later denied these reports.
PCB’s Displeasure with the Media
The PCB is currently working to complete the renovation of the stadiums ahead of the Champions Trophy tournament, which is set to start on February 19 next month. However, the leaks in the international media about the stadiums not being ready have upset the Pakistan Cricket Board, and it has tightened its control over the local media. The PCB has imposed certain restrictions, allowing media to visit the stadium only on a specific day of the week. Additionally, they will be allowed to visit the venue and take videos only in the presence of PCB media representatives.
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“Pakistan’s Reputation Is Being Damaged”
An insider from the Pakistan Cricket Board stated, “It has become troubling for us that some people are repeatedly entering the stadiums without permission and taking videos. We do not like discussions about minor construction issues being made public, especially when they are used to comment on the preparations for the mega event.”
He added that the decision to restrict media access was taken because international media was picking up these reports, which portrayed Pakistan as unprepared to host the Champions Trophy. The opening match of the tournament will be held on February 19 at Karachi’s National Stadium, between Pakistan and New Zealand. Meanwhile, India will play all its matches in Dubai, with the India-Pakistan encounter scheduled for February 23 in Dubai.