LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed speculation that the ICC Champions Trophy will be moved out of the country due to delays in construction work at three stadiums set to host the event, which begins on 19 February.

The venues in Pakistan hosting the tournament are Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, and Karachi’s National Bank Stadium. Meanwhile, India will play all its matches in Dubai.

A PCB source asserted that the presence of a large International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation, which includes broadcast, hospitality, and event operations officials, affirms that the tournament remains on schedule in Pakistan.

“The PCB has spent nearly PKR 12 billion to upgrade our stadiums to make them fitting for an event like the Champions Trophy, which was awarded to us,” the source said.