What Is A Drop-In Pitch? Why Are They Being Used In New York For India’s Matches VS Ireland, Pakistan, And USA

The 2024 T20 World Cup is a special moment for cricket, as the tournament is a major step towards the globalization of the sport, with the tournament expanding to a 20-team tournament and the first time a major cricketing event is taking place in the United States of America (USA).

A total of three venues in the United States of America (USA) are hosting a total of 16 matches, with Central Broward Park in Florida, Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, and Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York being the host venues.

While Florida has hosted several international matches before, both Dallas and New York are having a taste of international cricket for the first time in history.

However, New York is the most interesting story, as the ground is in a place where nothing existed until the start of the year. The construction of the venue started only in February, and the venue will cease to exist at the end of the tournament.

What Are Drop-In Pitches?

The newly built venue in New York has come under the scanner after the first match at the venue, with South Africa and Sri Lanka playing a low-scoring clash, and the pitch has become a mystery for the teams. For those unaware, the stadium uses a drop-in pitch.

Drop-in pitches are basically tracks that are not prepared at the venue but instead shipped to the stadium after being curated elsewhere. These types of surfaces are common in venues in Australia and New Zealand, where the same stadium hosts multiple sports. Most notably, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) used a drop-in pitch.

After being prepared at another place, drop-in pitches are placed on the venue using cranes.

The story of the New York surface is an interesting one, as the pitches have been prepared by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions and Adelaide Cricket Ground head curator Damian Hough. The tracks were made in Florida before being shifted to New York.

India will play the first three matches of their campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York against Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA.