With less than a month left before the start of the Champions Trophy 2025, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) faced a new low on Tuesday (Jan 28) evening. ICC CEO Geoff Allardice stepped down from his role on Tuesday, marking the first significant blow for the administrators and their decision to award Pakistan the hosting rights. The CEO reportedly stepped down from his role taking responsibility for Pakistan’s lack of preparedness in the build-up to the tournament.

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Are Pakistan stadiums in mess?

"It has been a privilege to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council and I am incredibly proud of the results we have achieved, from enhancing the global reach of cricket to the commercial foundation put in place for ICC Members," Allardice said in a statement.

"I believe this is the right time for me to step down and pursue new challenges," he added.

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While no accurate reason was given in his farewell statement, Allardice faced huge criticism for awarding hosting rights to Pakistan. Videos surfacing on social media have indicated that stadiums are not yet prepared and lack basic facilities.

It is not the first time Allardice has faced backlash as ICC had to allot extra funds during the ICC T20 World Cup in the United States. This also caused a huge backlash within the ICC, highlighting Allardice’s lack of proper administration.

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Pakistan stadiums attract backlash?

While Allardice has been on the gunpoint, PCB has faced a significant backlash for its laziness to handle preparations. Netizens have slammed the PCB for poor stadium infrastructure while few vidoes on social media have also shown the poor quality of construction work.

As of January, the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore was yet to install seats for the fans. The stadium has no roof over sitting area, meaning fans will be exposed to harsh weather.