T20 World Cup: Police snipers deployed in New York stadium ahead of SL v SA match

New York: The security has been beefed up at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York for the T20 World Cup 2024. The police have positioned snipers at covert locations around the venue that will host Sri Lanka and South Africa in its first international game on Monday.

Nassau County Police Department will oversee a massive operation to ensure the games held at the Long Island ground between 3-12 June pass off without incident, the BBC reported.

The Eisenhower Park will play host to eight matches of the T20 showpiece including the tournament’s blockbuster between India and Pakistan on June 9.

Amid the threats from pro-ISIS group, the security measures will include SWAT teams with specialist snipers. Plain clothes police officers will also be operating inside the ground, the report added.

Additionally, the four drop-in pitches are being continuously monitored on a rolling 24-hour basis by officers from the force’s narcotics division, who have been relieved of their regular duties to make sure they are not tampered with.

In the lead-up to the competition, the police force of Nassau has joined forces with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Department of Homeland Security, the New York Police Department, and other agencies.

“The safety and security of everyone at the event is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement to BBC Sport.

“We work closely with authorities in our host countries and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event,” it added.

On the match days, the park land adjacent to the ground will be closed to the public to minimise any potential threat of a drone attack.

Fans will undergo searches and have to go through airport-style security scanners before entering the stadium.

Last week, Bruce Blakeman, the executive for Nassau County, stated that security would be “like the Super Bowl” but “on steroids.”