Cricket

This $30m temporary NYC venue will host one of the world’s most bitter rivalries

Published

7 months ago

June 3, 2024

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This m temporary NYC venue will host one of the world’s most bitter rivalries

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is set to see the USA co-host the event, meaning a debut for the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

This brand-new arena cost $30 million to build and will be dismantled once the World Cup ends.

The giant grandstands are very impressive and dominate the surrounding skylineCredit: Getty

It only took three months for the stadium to be assembled, and it was officially opened by Olympic royalty in the form of Usain Bolt.

The venue is based in Long Island, New York and will hold a staggering 34,000 people and host eight games across the World Cup.

The stands have been transported from the Las Vegas Grand Prix to be repurposed, and once everything is done, all that will remain will be the grass.

Incredibly, these temporary grandstands have media and player facilities as well as hospitality boxes built into them.

So, this is a totally unique stadium, and despite some protests from people in the Bronx, construction has been completed, and it’s ready for the action to start.

However, there are also some less friendly additions, with a pro-ISIS group claiming they will target the tournament.

As a result of this, police snipers are set to be in place around the ground.

Meanwhile, officers from other departments have been tasked with keeping an eye on the pitches at all times.

It will also make history when it hosts South Africa vs Sri Lanka on June 3 as the first cricket venue to hold an ICC event without previously hosting a single international match beforehand.

The USA and India will also play here at some point.

The latter team have two games, which is important because New York is home to the largest metropolitan Indian population outside of Asia.

The stadium will be dissembled once the World Cup ends, leaving just the grass, but no one knows what will happen to the stands yetCredit: Getty

As you can see, the stadium is slap bang in the middle of a park, so it's easy to see why it's irritated some residents — As you can see, the stadium is slap bang in the middle of a park, so it’s easy to see why it’s irritated some residentsCredit: Getty

The stands at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have been transported straight from the glamorous Las Vegas Grand PrixCredit: Getty

So when India play, expect this stadium to be packed to the rafters.

The ICC have also selected the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium to host India versus Pakistan on June 9, one of the fiercest rivalries in sport.

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It's a game that can always get a bit fiery due to the historical issues between the two countries — It’s a game that can always get a bit fiery due to the historical issues between the two countriesCredit: Getty

This dates back to the partition of British India into India and Pakistan in 1947.

Since then, wars have been fought, while cricket matches between the two have served as a backdrop to the tension between the two countries.

Because of this, they don’t meet very often, which means when they do, it’s a must watch encounter.

This year’s clash is set to be no different, with tickets currently being sold for a reported $20,000 for their meeting at the temporary Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

Prices initially started at $300, but those tickets instantly sold out, meaning all that’s left are passes that cost thousands of dollars.

This match is so important to millions of people, so it’s no wonder tickets are in such high demand, and it will be played at this stadium, which means we could see some iconic scenes at a ground that won’t exist in a year’s time.

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