Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for hosting the Test match against Bangladesh in Karachi without spectators. The veteran also believes Faisalabad Stadium could have easily hosted the game. Due to the ongoing construction work at the National Stadium in Karachi, the PCB decided to restrict the spectators from attending the game as well. The
PCB reasoned that the safety and security of their fans is the main priority.

Responding to this, Akmal stated as quoted by cricketpakistan.pk, he claimed:  “The second Test match will be played in Karachi. So I think you know that there is a renovation 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 a crowd. And we don’t just have 2-3 stadiums, we also have Faisalabad Stadium. We could have played there too, it is a top-class stadium. So much cricket has happened there.”

However, The ICC had given Pakistan the hosting rights of Champions Trophy 2025 in 2021. The country is all set to host the first ICC event since 1996. However, it could be a hybrid model considering the Indian government could stop the men’s side from visiting there as well. And, Akmal further shared that the PCB also had the opportunity to host the Test in Multan.

Kamran Akmal said: “After that, 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 put another Test match on one of these two venues. So it would have been good. So I think it will be an international joke of our cricket. These things should not happen. So let’s see why this venue has been decided.”