ISLAMABAD: The race to build Islamabad’s first-ever international cricket stadium has entered a decisive phase, with two powerful construction joint ventures qualifying to submit financial bids for the landmark Rs11.4 billion project.

The Capital Development Authority, working in partnership with the Pakistan Cricket Board, has shortlisted two contenders after evaluating their technical proposals and conceptual designs. The finalists are a joint venture led by Habib Construction Services with ZKB Engineers and Constructors and EA Consulting, and another consortium comprising Lemar Builders, Kingerete and BK Consultants.

The state-of-the-art stadium will be constructed on 50 acres within a planned 175-acre Olympic Village near Sector D-12, at the foothills of the Margalla Hills. Designed to transform Islamabad into a major sporting hub, the project will be executed under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction model, under which bidders have submitted both technical proposals and full stadium designs.

An expert committee of the CDA, with possible input from the PCB, will now evaluate the competing designs and select one blueprint. That approved design will then be issued to both joint ventures for submission of final financial offers, with the lowest bidder expected to secure the mega contract.

Officials said competition is expected to be intense, as both groups bring proven experience in constructing major cricket venues. One consortium has worked on the Arbab Niaz Stadium, while the other participated in the extensive redevelopment of Gaddafi Stadium.

The ambitious project, however, faces environmental scrutiny. The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board has sought detailed layout plans to determine whether the site overlaps the protected boundaries or buffer zone of the Margalla Hills National Park, adding another critical layer to one of the capital’s most high-profile sports developments.