The T20 ICC Men’s World Cup 2024 will see the very last match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York between India and the USA. Both teams have secured four points each and will be fighting for ‘Super 8.’ The iconic Nassau County Stadium has only been made for the 9th edition of the World Cup and now it will be dismantled soon after the match.
Here is an interesting take on the New York non-traditional pitch
On November 17 of last year, the ICC and Nassau County officially signed an agreement to host eight World Cup matches at Eisenhower Park. Spanning over 900 acres, Eisenhower Park is slightly larger than New York’s Central Park.
Originally, the cricket pitch was part of a 19-acre area of the park that “was not very fancy,” according to Lockerbie. It was a basic strip used for recreational games, lacking proper drainage and irrigation, and was occasionally used as a parking lot for amphitheatre events. “It was an afterthought kind of field in a county that has probably a hundred parks,” Don Lockerbie noted.
The Nassau County International Stadium will eventually cover 42 acres at the selected location, accommodating multiple operational needs such as broadcast facilities, parking, and security. With just over a hundred days until the first World Cup warm-up game on June 1, work on the site commenced on January 8, with actual construction beginning on February 18.
The ambitious project represents a significant upgrade from the park’s initial facilities, aiming to meet international standards for the World Cup matches. The ICC’s investment in the infrastructure is part of a broader strategy to enhance the global profile of cricket, particularly in regions where the sport is still developing.
Constructed over eight months at a cost of $30 million with soil imported from Adelaide Oval, the tournament pitch has faced criticism for inconsistent bounce and a slow outfield. Despite efforts to meet standards, the pitch has not performed well, drawing flak from experienced players and coaches.
The ICC has acknowledged the issues, attributing the uneven bounce to grassy veins being compressed by rolling. They are working to address the problems. The highest first-innings score at the venue is 137, achieved by Canada against Ireland, which was sufficient for a win. The pitch conditions have significantly impacted the games, with low scores becoming the norm.