Gaddafi Stadium prepares for ICC: Official handover scheduled for February 11

Amid rising concerns over the readiness of Champions Trophy venues in the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that the iconic Gaddafi Stadium here would be handed over to the ICC on February 11, little over a week before the start of the ODI showpiece.

The PCB posted a video of the new-look stadium on 'X' and wrote, "Under the lights, it's a sight to behold!...We can't wait to welcome fans, officials and teams for the tri-nation series and Champions Trophy." The mega-event begins on February 19.

A Board source told in an interview that the stadium will be handed over to the International Cricket Council (ICC), "for branding and other stuff on February 11" after Pakistan's tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa. 

The ICC had set January 31 as the deadline for the handover of all three stadiums -- Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore), National Stadium (Karachi) and the Rawalpindi Stadium -- which will host the global event in Pakistan. The source added that "final touches" were being given to the Gaddafi Stadium.

(Except for the headline, nothing has been changed by All India News Network in the PTI copy.)