The PCB is set to rechristen Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium with a new name, nearly 50 years after it was named in honour of former Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi.
PCB chairman Ramiz Raja told ESPNcricinfo that the board was in advanced talks with multiple sponsors, one of which will get the right to have the stadium renamed after it.
"We acquired the services of YouGov to estimate the brand worth of our stadia, and how much sponsorship deals would be worth," Ramiz said. "That's not just true of the Gaddafi Stadium, but also the NSK and others. We've been working towards this for a while, and the response from sponsors has been satisfactory. Once we finalise a deal [for Lahore], the name Gaddafi will go completely, with a sponsor's name replacing it."
The stadium was initially named Lahore Stadium when it was constructed in 1959. But in 1974, when Gaddafi visited Lahore, he gave a speech in favour of Pakistan's right to pursue nuclear weapons at the Organisation of Islamic Conference. The then prime minister of Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, then named the cricket stadium after the Libyan leader.
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