The new 34,000-capacity stadium for T20 World Cup 2024 in New York is set to host an India vs Pakistan match.
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India vs Pak:
So far, we know that the success of the Cricket World Cup largely depends on Indian television viewers. The clash between India and Pakistan is the most anticipated event of the competition. This is why, whether the World Cup is hosted anywhere in the world, India’s matches are always on prime time at home, and the India-Pakistan match is reserved for the stadium with the highest attendance.
T20 World Cup Challenges:
All these considerations are once again in focus for the T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies in June. The distance between the Indian subcontinent and the United States, along with the lack of a robust cricket culture and infrastructure in the United States, give rise to challenges for the competition.
Out of the 55 matches in the T20 World Cup, 41 will be played in the West Indies. However, all four of India’s league matches will be day games, and three of them, including the match against Pakistan, will be held in a pop-up stadium in New York.
Unveiling the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, which will host eight games at the 2024 Men's #T20WorldCup 🚨https://t.co/XaKWcZb6gw
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) January 17, 2024
“We are in New York because there are many cricket fans there, and we are bringing some eagerly awaited cricket matches, including the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match. We hope the atmosphere will be as fantastic as the T20 World Cup,” said Chris Tetley, the event chief organizer at ICC, during a media briefing. “We are considering the daytime for the matches, but when world-class players perform, people will come to watch.”
This ambitious project by ICC aims to tap into the attractive sports market in the United States and establish a strong presence among Indian expatriates. “Our global rights strategy speaks to the importance of the U.S. This is our third-largest market (after India and the UK),” Tetley said. “We have identified 30 million cricket fans.”
Renovation for T20 Cricket World Cup:
He is excited that the New York Stadium (34,000 capacity) will have “more spectators than any ground in the UK or Wankhede.” However, this will be the first cricket stadium where a temporary structure, including the pitch, outfield, and spectator seats, has been set up for a tournament and later dismantled.
Located 25 miles east of Manhattan in Nassau County, Long Island, the current field has a wet outfield. The old field will be demolished, work will begin in February, drainage will be installed, and a new outfield will be laid in early May. Subsequently, a drop-in pitch will be installed, and a testing phase will occur throughout May, including warm-up matches for the tournament.
Opening T20 world cup match:
On June 3, Sri Lanka will take on South Africa in the opening T20 World Cup match to be held in the United States.
“This is new for cricket. But it happens every week in other sports. “We’re replicating the strategy employed by the Ryder Cup.” Some of our equipment is coming from Las Vegas F1,” Tetley said.
The distribution of the outfield is being handled by LandTek Group, which has built the Yankee Field for David Beckham’s Inter Miami, where Lionel Messi now plays. The installation of the drop-in pitch is being done by the renowned curator Damian Hough of Adelaide Oval, and the grandstands used for the lavish Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix are also being repurposed.
Will pop-up stadiums become common in cricket after this?
“Perhaps, finding the perfect moment and setting is essential, yet it will unveil to cricket the practices observed in various sporting realms,” Tetley expressed.
Tournament Integrity:
While the tournament will see the largest participation in an ICC event to date(T20 world cup), with 20 teams, the arrangement that informs the knockout stage for the top teams and determines where they play their super-eight matches has raised questions about its integrity. ICC has justified its choice, citing convenience for fans as well as practical considerations.
“It’s straightforward logic. Planning for spectators and locations for the most popular teams is crucial, so everyone benefits from a system that maintains competition integrity while indicating the location of a qualified team’s match, according to Tetley.
India will play its three matches in the 34,000-seat modular stadium, which will host eight matches during the tournament. The stadium is a temporary structure located in Nassau County, Long Island.
Why Dallas did not get matches of India:
Apart from New York, Dallas and Florida in the United States are also hosting T20 World Cup matches and have permanent stadiums. Despite that, the organizers decided to host only India’s matches in New York, even though the pop-up stadium is not yet operational and is expected to be ready only this week.
Now it has been revealed that the IPL giants, Chennai Super Kings’ associate Dallas Super Kings, had also written to ICC to host a T20 world cup match in Dallas to help promote the game in the region. The Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium had hosted matches for Dallas Super Kings during the Major League Cricket (MLC), but the global body still chose to host matches only in New York, despite the pop-up stadium not being operational yet and hopes of it being ready only this week.
Cricket fans have the highest attendance at India’s matches. Why send them to the smallest venue in the United States?” a hosting official questioned. “Dallas is just an hour away from New York and the Caribbean. Making a schedule for India’s matches there becomes impossible.”
This decision was made for various reasons, including the size of the Dallas Stadium, according to cricket experts. ICC wanted a large crowd for India’s games. Additionally, logistical challenges and the time zone worked against Dallas.
