Karachi: Pakistan has won the raffle and chose to play first against its New Zealand competitor in the 2025 champion trophy of the International Cricket Council (ICC), since the Mega Tournament has begun at the National Bank Cricket Stadium in Karachi.
President Asif Ali Zardari and the first lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari also attend the Opening Party as main guests.
The event also presented an aerial exhibition of the Sherdils team of the Pakistan Air Force.
The eight team tournament will be played in three places in Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, as well as in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (EAU) from February 19 to March 9.
Cricket fever is high among fans, since Pakistan is organizing a CPI event after a 29 -year -old parenthesis.
Pakistan was the host of an ICC event in 1996 – ICC Cricket World Cup 1996, which concluded with the final at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Sri Lanka defeated Australia for seven WICKETS.
The president of the Cricket Board of Pakistan (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, praised the beginning of the tournament as a victory for a peaceful and safe Pakistan. He said that the whole nation, including himself, is proud to organize the event.
In addition, he commented that the Champions Trophy is not only a tournament, but also a celebration of culture and tradition.
Naqvi extended a sincere welcome to all participating teams, recognizing the passion of the Pakistani people for the Cricket. He stressed that the nation has once again demonstrated its deep love for sport.
Squadron of 15 Pakistan players:
Mohammad Rizwan (Captain and Wickt-Keper), Astar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Aga (Vice-CapTanin), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Aphridi, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.
Security situation
More than 6,700 Personnel of the Special Security Unit (SSU) and other law enforcement agencies have been deployed during the ICC champions trophy in Karachi.
According to security officials, the SSU has assigned 1,045 commands, including officers, to administer security operations. In addition, 1,745 Personnel of the Security Division, 1,390 of the Traffic Police and 328 officers of the special branch have been parked in key places.
The security staff has been deployed at the Cricket Stadium of the National Bank of the Bank of Karachi, the airport, the designated routes, the parking areas, the hotels and other critical points. Snakes have also been placed in confidential locations for greater security.
A specialized unit of highly trained commands remains on a maximum alert and will perform routine patrols around the stadium.
The security of the Deputy Inspector (DIG) emphasized the importance of maintaining a peaceful and safe atmosphere. He confirmed that security arrangements have been coordinated with all relevant agencies to guarantee an event without problems.
In addition, the authorities have issued strict entrance guidelines for spectators attending the Champions Trophy matches at the Cricket Stadium of the National Bank of Karachi. Fans must carry their original national identity card along with a physical copy of their game ticket for the entrance.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
