Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has shared his hopes for the national team to win the upcoming Champions Trophy, which kicks off on February 19th. He also highlighted the significance of beating arch-rivals India on February 23rd.

Speaking at the inauguration of the newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium, Sharif lauded Pakistan's talented team and their recent achievements. He expressed his faith in their skills and encouraged them to keep up their strong performance throughout the esteemed tournament.

“We have a very good side and they have done well in recent times but the real task now is to not only win the Champions Trophy but also defeat our arch-rival, India in the upcoming match in Dubai. The entire nation stands behind them,” Sharif said.

The highly anticipated clash will occur at Dubai International Stadium, as India has opted not to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the team will play all their matches at this venue, with a chance to compete in the semi-final and final if they qualify.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is excited to host the remaining matches of the tournament on their home soil. This is the first time in 29 years that Pakistan will be the host of an ICC tournament. In a statement, Sharif expressed complete confidence in the team's capability to successfully manage the event.

“It is a big occasion for Pakistan that we are hosting a big ICC event after nearly 29 years. I have full confidence that our team will continue to make the nation proud in the upcoming Champions Trophy,” the PM added. In addition to hosting the Champions Trophy, Pakistan will also hold a tri-series featuring New Zealand and South Africa.

The Gaddafi Stadium and the National Stadium in Karachi will be used for this series, allowing for a chance to evaluate the facilities. Although there were difficulties in finishing the stadium work on time, Pakistan successfully addressed the problems and ensured that the stadiums were prepared for the tri-series.

Source : DNA India