The two-Test match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is going to start from August 21, but before the start of the series, a decision of the Pakistan Cricket Board has created controversy. In fact, the PCB has announced that the second match of the series, which is to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi, will be played behind closed doors. The PCB has cited the renovation going on there as the reason behind this. Now former cricketers including Pakistani fans are furious with this decision of the PCB. Former wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal has termed it as an insult to Pakistan at the international level. Let us tell you, renovation is going on at the Karachi Stadium due to the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.
Kamran Akmal said on his YouTube channel, “The second Test match will be played in Karachi. So I think you know that renovation work is going on in Karachi. They are preparing a stadium for the Champions Trophy. So it will be a joke of Pakistan that Test matches are being played in Pakistan without spectators. And we don’t have just 2-3 stadiums; we also have Faisalabad stadium. We could have played there as well; it is a top-class stadium. A lot of cricket has happened there.” Akmal also suggested another alternative venue in Multan, where matches could be held with proper facilities and access to fans.
He further said, “There is a stadium in Multan. And you know that Multan Stadium is very good and the crowd also comes there. So you know that this is your stadium; you could have organized another Test match at any one of these two places. So it would have been good. So I think this would be a mockery of our cricket at the international level. Such things should not happen.”