Organizers of the T20 World Cup in the United States have reported an extraordinary surge in ticket demand, particularly for the highly anticipated clash between cricket rivals Pakistan and India. The International Cricket Council disclosed that the public ballot for tickets to the June 9 encounter in New York was oversubscribed by a staggering 200 times, ensuring a sell-out crowd at the yet-to-be-completed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Long Island.
The 34,000-seat temporary venue is part of the historic tournament, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States. While traditional cricketing nations in the Caribbean are expected to draw large crowds, the inclusion of matches in Lauderhill, South Florida, and Grand Prairie Stadium near Dallas marks the first time an international cricket tournament is hosted in the United States.
T20 World Cup USA, Inc. CEO Brett Jones expressed excitement about the overwhelming ticket interest, particularly for the India-Pakistan clash. “India-Pakistan is obviously a game that at every World Cup carries great interest. I think it’s really pleasing to see those two countries come to the USA,” he stated.
Powerhouses India and Pakistan will play all their group games in the USA, aiming to attract packed crowds from the diaspora residing in the country. Despite hopes of converting Americans to cricket, organizers acknowledge the existing substantial interest among immigrant populations and prioritize serving those fans.
Jones emphasized, “Number one, we want to celebrate those that are already fanatical lovers of cricket. They deserve to see the best players in the world come into their backyard and have that chance.”
While cricket has not traditionally captured the attention of Americans, T20’s unique format is set to provide an unprecedented platform for the sport in the country, including participation in the Los Angeles Olympics in four years.
With an eye on future opportunities, Jones stated, “We’re saying we want to reward our cricket fans and lovers of cricket in the US, which is a huge market. Then we want to spike curiosity and really hopefully start a bigger conversation about the game and its benefits at the community level.”
Teams from Ireland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Canada will also compete in the USA alongside the host nation. Despite the considerable interest, organizers face the challenge of creating the necessary facilities and infrastructure for a global tournament.
Jones acknowledged the ongoing work needed, saying, “We’re still going to have a lot of work to do to make sure we can provide access to our cricket fans.” He added, “We want to show people that in a sports-mad country that demands entertainment, cricket is a great entertainment product.”
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to commence on June 1 with the USA facing Canada in Texas. USA vice-captain Aaron Jones expressed hope that the team’s performances would inspire youngsters starting out in the sport, emphasizing the desire to showcase the USA as a cricketing country and a role model for aspiring cricket enthusiasts.
