The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in conjunction with the ICC will hold the opening ceremony of the upcoming Champions Trophy on February 16 in Lahore. A source in the PCB told PTI that chairman Mohsin Naqvi had approved a scheduled list of events prior to the first match of the tournament on February 19 at the National Stadium in Karachi between Pakistan and New Zealand. The PCB will officially open the renovated Gaddafi stadium on February 7 for which Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has been invited as the chief guest.

On February 11, the PCB will launch the renovated National Stadium in Karachi with a ceremony in which President Asif Ali Zardari has been invited as the chief guest.

The source said the PCB and ICC were also working out the schedule of the captains press conference and photoshoots. They are likely to be held in Lahore on February 16.

The opening ceremony is scheduled at Huzoori Bagh at the historic Lahore fort in which officials of different boards, celebrities, legends of the game, and government officials will be invited.

The ICC and PCB are yet to confirm if Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, would be travelling to Lahore for the events.

India will be playing their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai as part of a hybrid model deal between the ICC, PCB and BCCI and if they qualify for the final, then the title clash would also be held in the UAE city on March 9.

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