The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalized a deal valued at PKR 1 billion with a private bank to secure the naming rights for Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for a duration of five years. Although the PCB has yet to officially announce the agreement, insiders confirm that the deal is complete. Similar to Karachi’s National Stadium, Gaddafi Stadium will now bear the bank’s name. According to one insider, “The deal is worth one billion rupees, while the naming rights for the Karachi stadium were sold for 450 million dollars.”
Gaddafi Stadium was originally named after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 1974.
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The process of selling naming rights for cricket stadiums in Pakistan began in 2021 under the leadership of former PCB chairman and ex-captain Ramiz Raja. The deal for Karachi’s stadium was finalized during his tenure, resulting in its current name, National Bank Cricket Arena.
Now led by interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB aims to use these deals to help cover the costs of renovating three major stadiums in the country in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
“Naqvi is also focused on increasing revenue streams to support domestic cricket, which will benefit Pakistan cricket,” the source added.