Rivals Pakistan and India will clash in a highly anticipated match during the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup 2024 in New York on June 9. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced this exciting fixture, which will be held at a new 34,000-seat modular stadium in Nassau County, just east of downtown Manhattan. This match is set to be one of the highlights of the tournament, which will run from June 1 to 29.
The T20 World Cup 2024 is a joint effort by the United States and the West Indies, and it will be the first time that a major international cricket tournament is being held in the United States. The opening match of the tournament will take place at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas, Texas, where the co-hosts United States will face Canada on June 1. Both teams will be making their first appearances in a T20 World Cup.
With a total of 20 teams participating, the tournament promises to be bigger than ever before. The United States will host a total of 16 games, spread across various venues. Lauderhill in South Florida, which is already an established cricket venue in the US, will host matches featuring India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Cricket may be a niche sport in the United States, but it enjoys significant support from the South Asian and Caribbean communities in the country. Peter Hutton, the chair of T20 World Cup Incorporated, expressed excitement about bringing the tournament to the US, stating, The US is already one of cricket’s biggest audiences for ICC events, and bringing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to New York City, Dallas, and Florida is a massive opportunity to exponentially grow the sport.
Geoff Allardice, the ICC CEO, highlighted the significance of hosting matches in the US, calling it a new frontier in the expansion of cricket. He added, It allows us to make a statement in the world’s biggest sports market. Allardice also acknowledged the historical importance of the West Indies in cricket and expressed enthusiasm about having an ICC event back in the region.
The West Indies previously hosted the 2010 T20 World Cup, three years after hosting the 50-over version. The 2024 tournament will culminate with the final match being played in Barbados, which is expected to provide a boost to the game in the region.
The tournament format includes four groups of five teams each, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the ‘Super Eights’ stage. The Super Eight games will be held in various Caribbean locations, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The semi-finals will take place in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27.
Defending champions England will begin their title defense on June 4 in Barbados against Scotland. Traditional rivals England and Australia will face off on June 8. The highly anticipated match between Pakistan and India on June 9 will attract significant attention from fans worldwide.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has become one of the most exciting cricket tournaments globally, with teams showcasing their skills in the fast-paced and thrilling T20 format. Cricket enthusiasts worldwide are eagerly anticipating this edition, as it promises to deliver an exceptional cricketing spectacle featuring the best players in the world.
